


Ceding the Crease

by realMurph



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bellweather Unit Unity, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, lacrosse au, mfsweek, side pairing- Abigail/Adil, side pairing- tally/glory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 12:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 79,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24969520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph/pseuds/realMurph
Summary: A re-write of Season 1 of MFS, as a modern day College Lacrosse AU.Raelle just wants to skate by and get out.Tally just wants to experience new things and make friends.Abigail just wants her life to exactly as she planned.Over the course of a single season, each girl's desires will change, as will they. Who will they be a the end?
Relationships: Abigail Bellweather & Raelle Collar & Tally Craven, Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn
Comments: 167
Kudos: 216





	1. Face-Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we're at the end of MFSWeek 2020 already! It feels like a year ago that I posted the first fic, but also only five minutes.
> 
> This work is my contribution for Day 7: free choice. _However_ , it also is it's own project (so it won't be added to the series). I have been working on this for the better part of two months now. It will be a full-length, 10 chapter re-write of the first season, as a modern day College LAX AU.
> 
> This one goes out to the MFS Coven Discord. I said I would write this and that was like, two months ago so I'm late haha. You are all very strange and I love you guys <3
> 
> I am bad at time management so again I will be your editor for this chapter, but I will shout-out my lovely beta, [suchbeautifuldoubt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/suchbeautifuldoubt/) _anyway_ because she's amazing and she deserves it.
> 
> A disclaimer: I am not an expert in lacrosse, botany, or law, and everything I researched came from Google. I apologize if anything is grossly incorrect, and I will be accepting (helpful) criticism and corrections.

_face-off: the start of a game_

It was unseasonably warm and humid outside for a Fall day, which only served to make Raelle grumpier than usual as she dragged herself out of the grimy cab that had brought her from the airport. Brought her, unwillingly almost, all the way out to the semi-secluded, all-female, Salem University in historic Salem, Massachusetts.

Raelle hadn’t really wanted to come here- hadn’t wanted to go this far from her dad. But her mom had wanted her to go to a good school, get a good education, have a good life. So she accepted the scholarship that had been offered and shipped herself up north to begin her next four or so years at the prestigious Salem U.

Salem U had one of the best athletics programs in the country, with a reputation for churning out future pros. And it had the academic records to support it as well. A well-rounded, top tier University-

And Raelle couldn’t wait to get out.

~.~

The auditorium thundered with the sound of stomping feet. The excitement was palpable and the air positively hummed with anticipation. 

A woman stood at the podium on stage, tall and imposing, a no-nonsense look on her face. She surveyed the crowd of students with a keen eye, noting each and every face.

She held up a hand and silence fell.

“Welcome to Salem University. I am Sarah Alder, Dean of the University. I am glad to see so many returning faces this year, and glader still to see so many fresh ones. This place is a rich, generous environment, full of opportunity for those who care to seek it out.”

From her place in the audience, Raelle rolled her eyes.

“You are here because you were invited. We at Salem U recognized your talents, your skills, your dedication and your hard work. But more importantly, we recognized your desire. Your drive to get up, get out, and thrust yourself into the world at full speed! To fling yourself from the highest mountain top and fly.”

Raelle glanced around and rolled her eyes again at all the faces staring up at Alder, hanging on every word.

“You will find a home here, you will find family here, in this place. Good luck to all of you. Give us your best, and you will receive the best in turn.” 

Alder smiled and nodded to the crowd and departed in a wave of raucous cheering and more stomping.

_Where the hell am I??_

~.~

The Athletics Clubhouse- “Fort Salem,” as the students called it- was absolutely packed. The two weeks before school officially started were reserved for the start of pre-season training for Fall sports. Every team was elite and only the best were invited to join. And being on the team one year didn’t guarantee your spot the following year.

There were two strings for each team in each sport. The first saw the playing field, the second usually just saw the bench. Competition for a coveted first string spot was fierce and brutal. Many players would struggle for the first time as they competed against athletes who were at least as talented and driven as they were.

Most everyone in the clubhouse was greeting each other at the moment. Groups of friends from previous years clumped up and joked and shoved each other around, while the freshman either watched nervously or tried to join in depending on their natures.

One girl in particular fell into the latter category: Tally was busy going from table to table, introducing herself and shaking hands with everyone she could, no matter what year they were. While some were put off by her enthusiasm, most greeted her back and were welcoming.

She had come all the way from NorCal with her friend Glory, also on the lacrosse team, and she was happy to be away from home for the first time. Her mother had not wanted her to move so far away, but Tally had a desire to leave home and see the world, and when she was offered a spot on this team, for a game she loved, she couldn’t say no.

A hush fell over the room suddenly, and Tally whipped towards the door.

A woman stood in the doorway, blocking the light behind her, casting her in shadow. She slowly walked the room, studying the faces around her with an impassive expression. As she approached the front, Tally felt a hand slip into hers. She glanced down at her friend Glory, always uncomfortable and nervous around crowds and new people, and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

The woman up front cleared her voice, and all eyes were on her.

Authority was about to speak.

“I am Anacostia Quartermaine, head of the athletics program here at Salem University and coach of the lacrosse team.” A single stomp rang out from the team’s players from the year before. Anacostia nodded once in acknowledgement before continuing.

“My job is to get you all in shape for the season to come. You might have been the all-star in high school, but this is the real world. The big leagues to get you ready for the major leagues. You will work hard, sweat, bleed, cry-but-not-on-me, until your bones give out. And then you will do it some more. Survive the Storm, become the Fury.”

More stomping and a chant broke out as Tally grinned and looked up at the mascot on the wall: a Fury from Greek mythology, fierce and teeth bared, ready to fight.

_I’m ready to fight too._

“Here’s how it works: in four weeks we have string placement. You have until then to prove you belong on top. Succeed, and you get to help bring this fine establishment to another year of domination. Fail, and you get to watch that happen from the bench. Freshmen, you’re not just competing among yourselves, but against the veterans as well. _Everyone_ is competing for a spot, having it last year means nothing.” She paused and looked over the room.

Tally felt her heart racing in her chest.

“Finally, a new initiative this year. We are putting a stronger emphasis on teamwork. So, all of you have been divided up by sport, and put into teams of three. These are your room assignments, yes, but they are also your ticket to the top spot.” She paused as players began to look around, confused, muttering quietly.

“In order for you to make the top, your _Unit_ must make the top.”

A shocked gasp went up from the crowd as more muttering broke out. Anacostia smiled, almost too pleasantly.

“The athletics dorm, your ‘barracks’, are on the other side of the fields from here. Room assignments are posted on the floor assigned to your team.” She paused. There was some awkward shuffling. “Go!”

The crowd jumped and dispersed quickly.

Glory looked worriedly at Tally who smiled and said, “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”

~.~

Having to rely on two unknowns to get her top spot had not been part of Abigail’s plan. She wasn’t too concerned though. Presumably everyone here had gotten in due to hard work and skill, and she was confident she could whip these two into shape enough to propel her to the first string, maybe even the Captain spot by next year.

The dorm room was basic, and she hand claimed the free standing bed instead of the bunks. The spot where a leader would be.

It didn’t take long before a redheaded girl bounced into the room and introduced herself as Tally Craven. Abigail thought she was a bit childish, but she was enthusiastic and energetic and very willing to be a team player.

_This is fine, I can work with this. She should be fairly easy to control. If she’s half as talented as she is excitable, this should be smooth sailing._

Those thoughts were forgotten after the arrival of their final Unit member.

She trudged in wearing too-big jeans, ratty sneakers, and a jacket that was possibly older than Abigail. She swerved Tally’s enthusiastic greeting and plunked her bag on the lower bunk.

Her name was Raelle.

She was standoffish and snappy, and brushed off Abigail’s initial attempt to get some order in the room, before disappearing behind a blanket curtain she erected around her bed.

 _Oh, she had_ better _just be tired from a long flight or something._

Abigail was not about to let some Southern scholarship-riding Shitbird get in the way of her plans. She would give the girl her space tonight, but starting tomorrow she’d help her find some motivation.

Whether Raelle liked it or not.

~.~

The next day, bright and early, saw the lacrosse team out on the LAX field, ready to officially start the pre-season haul. They lined up on the edge of the field as Anacostia split them into their positions. 

Abigail joined the attackers group, scowling at another girl: Libba, a Freshman, who was about Raelle’s height with curly hair. Tally was a midfielder, and she waved at Glory as she walked over to them. Glory remained with Raelle and the other defenders.

Once they were organized, Anacostia called them back over.

“Ok! No reason to stand around, let’s get the fun started. Warm-up drills with your Units, then break off into your position groups and we’ll go from there. Go!”

They went.

Training was… brutal. As they had been warned. It wasn’t just lacrosse drills, over and over, or practicing different plays.

It was obstacle courses, weight training, stretching, and running. _Endless_ running. They ran everywhere: from the field, to the field, to the dorms, to the dining hall, _everywhere_. They ran until they dropped and then they were picked up so they could run some more for stopping.

In the rain, mud, or blistering heat they worked, eyes always on their goal. Anyone who started to fall behind was quickly overtaken. Friends were for off the field.

As for the Bellweather Unit, things were rocky, to say the least. Though all three girls were incredibly talented, one of them lacked certain… discipline.

Raelle only ever gave the minimum effort to get herself through practice. She didn’t care in the slightest about making first string. And she often let herself be distracted on the field.

Which is how she ended up nearly taking a ball to the head.

A last second scoop from Glory saved her from _that_ concussion.

“Shit! Um, thanks,” Raelle said.

“No problem,” Glory replied, with a tentative smile.

“Collar!” That was Anacostia’s ‘angry voice.’

_Ah, shit._

Raelle trotted over to her, ignoring the furious look Abigail was shooting her way. She planted herself in front of the coach.

“Collar, your head is in the clouds. Get the hell off my field until you find it.”

Raelle saluted ironically and went to get her stuff.

~.~

After a shower and a short walk, Raelle was feeling better. Not desiring to return to her dorm room yet, and face the wrath of the High and Mighty, she decided to wander the campus grounds.

They were stunning, with lots of grassy areas and even a clump of gardens tended by students. She headed that way, intrigued by the colors she could see from where she was.

There was a botanical garden out behind where the fields were. Raelle passed under a large tree with low-hanging branches, and stopped to survey the area. It was lush and beautiful, and for the first time since arriving at Salem U, she felt a bit of peace settle over her.

“Nice isn’t it?”

Raelle jumped and spun around and came face to face with possibly an actual goddess.

“It’s mostly for the Botany and Earth Science students, but they don’t mind the rest of us hanging around. I wouldn’t mind learning to do that,” the maybe-goddess said as she approached and stood next to Raelle.

Raelle smiled at her, “Yeah it’s pretty nice. I didn’t think there were any other students around yet, semester doesn’t start for another week.”

The girl shrugged one shoulder and tilted her head. “I could tell you, but then I wouldn’t be as mysterious,” and she winked.

Raelle chuckled. There was something about this girl, Raelle felt a kindred spirit in her. It was in the way she smirked, the way her eyes glinted with hints of mischief.

She decided if she was going to be stuck here anyway, she might as well have _some_ fun.

“Come on, they should be serving dinner in the dining hall. Walk you there?”

The girl smiled and nodded.

“I’m Scylla.” Soft voice.

_Scylla._

They started walking.

“Raelle.”

~.~

Unfortunately, Scylla couldn’t stick around to eat, but they talked the whole way there and Raelle was looking forward to running into her again. She smiled as she went back to her dorm.

The smile faded real quick though when Abigail burst in not long later and began tearing into her.

“I don’t know what kind of game you think you’re playing here, but it ends now,” she shouted.

“I’m pretty sure it’s called lacrosse. Or LAX, if you’re a frat boy,” Raelle deadpanned, reclining on her bed. She was still eyeing the blanket that Abigail had torn down upon her entry.

“Look, this is serious, Ok? We’re talking about the difference between playing the game and watching it. If you’re not first string you might as well be in the stands. How do you not care at all?? This is _your_ future too.”

Raelle came off her bed and stood toe to toe with the High and Mighty.

“Don’t pretend like you care about my future, or anyone’s but yours. You only care about putting yourself on top, no matter who you need to use to get there. Stop acting like you’re God’s gift to sports,” Raelle spat, enraged.

“Guys? Maybe we can just cool-” but Tally didn’t get a chance to finish.

“You spout Anacostia and Alder’s words like they’re scripture. You sound like a propaganda poster. Unity? Teamwork?? Come on Bellweather. Me ‘n Tally are just tools to you. You want step stools, not a unit. You don’t even know what that word means.”

~.~

Unsurprisingly, things were a bit strained after that.

The next day was a rest day, and while Tally went off to spend it with Glory, and Abigail went to the gym anyway, Raelle got some housekeeping done.

She called her dad, did laundry, reread her mom’s old letters, did the stretches her mom had taught her, and spent the day generally at ease. She enjoyed having the room to herself and for a while she could pretend she didn’t have to put up with High Energy and High Atlantic.

Later in the evening, her roommates returned and Raelle decided she wasn’t ready to give up her peace yet, so she yanked on some sneakers and headed out. It was late and she didn’t have a particular destination in mind, she just wanted the fresh air and quiet.

She found herself walking towards the large tree in the gardens.

It was closed.

Raelle held the padlock mournfully, resigned to just going back to her room.

“Ah, she returns.”

Raelle jumped and spun, coming face to face with Scylla Ramshorn.

She recovered quickly and smiled, “We gotta stop meeting like this.”

Scylla chuckled and came up next to her, linking her fingers through the fence. Suddenly she pulled out something thin and metallic and started fiddling with the lock.

“Um, what are you doing?”

The lock clicked open and Scylla parted the gate just a bit. She sent Raelle a sly grin.

“Come on, I want to show you something.”

“It’s… closed? Isn’t this trespassing?”

“Come on, live a little!”

Raelle found herself powerless against the excited grin Scylla wore, and found herself smiling in return. With an acquiescing chuckle, she followed.

The garden was even more stunning at night, with little lights spaced out here and there, keeping it warm. Raelle stopped at a very tall looking flower-thing with many buds, but a hand wrapped around her arm, tugging.

“Not here, further in. Come on.”

Raelle happily allowed herself to be towed along, until they reached a small greenhouse in the back. Scylla turned to her and winked.

“This is way better than some flowers.”

This door was unlocked.

Inside, Raelle gasped. The room was full of odd-looking plants (if they even _were_ plants) sitting in pots, bowls, some even growing straight off logs that had been brought in. 

Raelle tore her eyes away and looked at Scylla, who had been standing next to her, watching her take it all in, smiling.

“Cool, huh?”

“I mean yeah it’s kind of cold in here, but what is all this?”

Scylla laughed obligingly at Raelle’s lame joke and started leading her around.

“This is the fungus house. They call it the “Necro Den” because of all the mushrooms and other fungi they grow and maintain here. You know, “dead” stuff.” Scylla started naming some of the fungi around them, which completely flew over Raelle’s head. But the passion and excitement in the girl’s voice kept her listening.

Probably with a dumb smile on her face.

“So are you, like, a botany student then?” Raelle asked when Scylla paused. She glanced over.

“No, I’m a Bio Science major, emphasis on human biology. I like to know what makes people tick. But I also really like this stuff, I think it’s fascinating,” she added, sweeping her arm across the room. “What about you?”

“I uh, haven’t declared yet.” She shrugged noncommittally. Scylla didn’t pry.

They chatted a bit more, laughing and flirting, until they suddenly heard a rustling outside.

They froze.

Suddenly the door swung open and a flashlight blinded them both.

~.~

“What were you thinking? Trespassing? Really?? The school year hasn’t even _started_ yet, Collar, and you’re already trying to get kicked out?”

Anacostia had been reaming them out for the better part of the past twenty minutes. After Izadora, head of the Science Department, had brought them both to Anacostia’s office, they were now sitting in hardback, uncomfortable chairs as Anacostia unloaded on them.

Scylla was barely listening, choosing instead to sneak glances at Raelle. The girl didn’t seem mad at her, or particularly concerned about the situation. Just bored almost. 

Anacostia came around her desk to stand in front of Raelle.

“You. I should kick you off the team right now. Just send you home.” Raelle’s face twitched, the slightest hint of concern. “But I am choosing to believe you have learned from this incident, and will now be considering the fact that you _do_ have talent, you _do_ have equally talented Unit mates, and you _do_ have a shot at making something of yourself here, should you choose to apply yourself.” She sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly.

“Get out of here, Collar. Get to bed. Do _not_ be late tomorrow. My graciousness is not infinite.”

Raelle stood, turned, and left.

Anacostia rounded on Scylla. She looked the girl up and down, unimpressed, the anger returning.

“You,” she began in an icy voice, “will stay away from her. Do you understand me? I don’t know what your game is, but that girl does not need you. Mess up your own life, not hers.” Scylla felt a trickle of fear slip down her spine. “Stay. Away. Like your future attendance at this University depended on it.”

_Funny you should mention that…_

Anacostia held her gaze for a moment longer before jerking her head towards the door, dismissing her.

She scatted.

Outside she paused, taking a deep breath of night air.

“You alright?”

It was Scylla’s turn to do the jump-and-spin at the sound of the voice behind her. Raelle was leaned up against the wall of the building, smirking at her.

She had waited.

Scylla said, “Yeah, I’m good. She’s intense though, I’d say.” Raelle pushed herself off the wall and shrugged.

“Eh, could be worse. So, how much trouble are you in with Izadora?”

“She’s not too hard on people, pretty laid back. She’ll probably punish me with greenhouse maintenance for a while, which I’d do anyway.”

“Well I’ll stop being worried then,” Raelle said with a wink.

“Aww, you were worried about me?”

“You’ll never know now.” 

There was a charged pause as they looked at each other; the tension was palpable. They stood face to face, fairly close to each other.

Raelle broke the silence first, “I’m really not looking forward to Abigail’s pretentious speech tonight. Might sleep in the clubhouse instead.”

Scylla raised an eyebrow. “Sounds safer. But forget the clubhouse, come with me.”

And for the second time that night, Scylla led Raelle off into the dark.

~.~

Scylla had a single room.

Raelle’s first reaction was envy. Privacy, quiet, personal space- it sounded like a dream to her.

It was small, but comfortable. A standard dorm-size bed, a desk, and a wardrobe took up most of the wall space. There was a window that looked out over the building’s courtyard.

“Nice! I’m jealous, wish I had my own space. Freshman aren’t allowed the single rooms,” Raelle said, running her finger along the windowsill. Scylla leaned against her desk.

“So, what _is_ going on with the whole ‘lacrosse’ thing? I’ve seen you guys practice. You do seem good at it, but you don’t seem to care much.”

Raelle looked sad for a moment, to Scylla’s great surprise. But the look was gone quickly, replaced with her signature smirk.

“Watching us, huh?”

Scylla smiled and shrugged, “Hey if I have to be here two whole weeks before classes even start, I might as well enjoy the many fine views this school offers.”

Raelle leaned against the wall, opposite Scylla now. “Me too.” Another long, charged pause. “I got the scholarship didn’t I? I showed up, I’m here, the education is free. I don’t really care what string I’m on, don’t even care if I ever play. Just trying to get in and get out.”

Scylla laughed out loud and shook her head, running her fingers through her hair.

“Your plan is hot garbage. You know they can drop your scholarship right? If you get kicked off the team. Which can happen if they think you’re not trying hard enough.” She crossed the room towards Raelle.

In a low voice she said, “I know a better way.”

But Raelle was done talking.

She wrapped her hands around the back of Scylla’s neck and pulled her forward, crashing their lips together. She felt Scylla’s surprised gasp against her face as she quickly spun them around and shoved Scylla against the wall. She pressed herself up against the panting girl, pinning her. Scylla’s hands flew up to her shoulders, clinging to them as Raelle kissed her again.

Their faces pulled apart slightly as they both gasped for air. Raelle slid a hand through Scylla’s hair and fisted it, pulling the girl’s head back just a bit. Scylla gasped and let out the tiniest moan.

Raelle laughed breathily into her mouth and said, “Tell me.”

Scylla’s eyes slid shut as Raelle used her grip to tug the girl’s head to the side, and slid her mouth down her neck. Raelle pressed kisses and ran her tongue along the soft skin there.

Scylla stammered out, “Let- let them train you. Let them make you b-better. Strong- _ahh_ \- stronger.” Raelle felt the girl’s chest heave against hers as she gasped for air.

Raelle pulled away from marking her neck with a slick pop. She waited, smirking, until Scylla met her eyes again.

“Okay. And?” Raelle’s hands left Scylla’s face and traveled lower, pulling the girl’s shirt from her pants and running her fingers along the skin she found there.

There was barely an inch between their lips as Scylla finally managed, “Th- the way over, is u-under.” Her eyes squeezed shut Raelle pressed their cheeks together and flicked open the clasp of Scylla’s belt. One hand played with the button of Scylla’s jeans while the other grabbed one of the hands clutching her shoulder and pinned her wrist to the wall above their heads.

Scylla’s head hit the wall with a thud as she squeezed out, “The way- fuck, _fuck_ \- way o-out, is- is-,” The words failed her as Raelle again attacked her neck and slipped her fingertips beneath Scylla’s waistband just a bit, teasing.

Raelle pressed her mouth back to Scylla’s and _breathed_ the words into her.

“Is in?”

Her grip on Scylla was almost bruising as she pressed her even further into the wall and flicked open the button of her jeans.

“ _Yes._ ”

~.~

The rest of the week was better.

Raelle showed up to practice right on time the following day. Abigail and Tally shared a look but said nothing at her happier-than-usual appearance.

Drills started with just moving the ball up and down the field, keeping track of the others players’ positions, finding them quickly. Just move, move, move.

Something amazing happened, as the week progressed.

For the first time, the Bellweather Unit moved in tandem. They called out to each other, moved the ball, _communicated_. It was like a song and dance. Raelle held her defensive position, keeping an eye on the movement of the field; Abigail kept up the pressure up front, never letting the momentum drop; Tally ran back and forth between them, a bridge.

One day the players broke up into opposing sides for a scrimmage. Raelle proved to be quick and light on her feet, faster than she had shown previously. Tally proved to be tireless, racing the length of the field countless times, never slowing. Abigail proved to be dauntless, powerful, keeping the ball with their offense for most of the scrimmage.

And the Unit proved to be working.

Anacostia watched them, a satisfied smile creeping across her face.

~.~

Raelle joined Tally and Abigail for breakfast the next Saturday morning, and Tally was giddier than usual.

“Guys! Did you _see_ Anacostia watching us yesterday? She couldn’t stop! She looked _impressed_!” She bounced in her seat with barely-contained excitement.

Raelle and Abigail looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

“Yeah, Tal, we know, this is only the third time you’ve brought it up,” Abigail said, but not harshly. Raelle just shook her head and started eating.

Tally gave Abigail a Look and nodded towards Raelle.

She stood and said, “Oh, I need more tea!” And she left.

Raelle watched her go.

“Do you think _she_ thinks she’s being subtle?”

Abigail responded, “Who knows.”

They regarded each other for a moment, before Abigail broke the silence.

She sighed, “Look, Raelle, we got off to a bad start, Ok? I apologize, really. I’d like to start over.”

Raelle gave her a long look, searching for a lie or condescension, but found none.

She nodded thoughtfully. “I accept your apology. I look forward to bettering our Unit standings with you.” She lowered her chin. “But we don’t have to be friends.”

Abigail nodded, business-like.

“Agreed then.”

And they shook on it.

~.~

Later that evening, Anacostia called together everyone in the athletic program, including all the coaches, assistants, _everyone_.

“Listen up! You may have seen on the news lately that there’s been a sort of betting scandal going around. Several colleges and universities have been found to be part of it. Someone spies on a team, maybe sells a training secret or two, maybe someone throws a game.”

Murmuring broke out in the crowd as people either agreed because they had heard of this happening, or were shocked by the news.

“Quiet please. If anyone sees anything odd, if you see anyone hanging out where they shouldn’t be, or any non-department individuals in athletics-only space, you are to report it immediately to either your coach or myself.

Additionally! If anyone here is caught participating in any way in _any_ kind of illegal betting scheme, or fraud, they will be removed from their team, removed from the University, and delivered to the authorities.” Anacostia surveyed the room as a heavy silence fell.

“I hope it goes without saying, but we are a family here. We look out for each other, and hold our fellows up. We don’t sell each other out. Dismissed.”

The crowd began to break up, groups chattering excitedly on the way out.

It was shaping up to be an exciting semester, for certain.

~.~

“So, how is it going so far?”

“I have an in. A good one.”

“Excellent. Which team?”

“Lacrosse.”

“Even better. Keep this up, there’s going to be good money in it. We’ll expect regular reports, Scylla.”

The line went dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope that went off to a good start! I'm taking a couple days off to rest and recharge from this crazy week, and then new chapters will be posted on a regular basis. I'll rotate between this and my other Raylla fic, Perspectives (and Outlook). Subscribe to both so you don't miss out!
> 
> I am massively proud to have taken part in this challenge and I feel pretty accomplished, not gonna lie. The feedback has been incredible, thank you to everyone who has commented!
> 
> One last time, _please_ go and check out [mfsweek](https://mfsweek.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, show the other creators some love because everyone worked extremely hard this week to bring to much great content.
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss out on updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


	2. Transitions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The freshmen and upperclassmen mix on the playing field, Raelle and Scylla learn about communication, and the team begins to bond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyy it's me! Back with chapter 2 of this epic rewrite of season one. I have decided to update this fic every Wednesday, which of course is when MFS airs. I have greatly enjoyed and appreciated the feedback I've been getting, mostly about lacrosse and plants, so keep it coming!
> 
> With me as always is my lovely beta [suchbeautifuldoubt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/suchbeautifuldoubt), who loves only fruity pebbles cereal. So find her at [tallycravens](https://tallycravens.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr and send her pictures of that or something.
> 
> Small content warning: If you've seen the show you know there's a long talk about death coming up in this one. It's not gory or sad, I think it's kind of hopefully actually, but if it's not your thing it starts in the woods at the festival and ends at the following page break.

_transition: moving the ball from defense to offense_

Raelle woke to the feeling of sunlight on her face. She squeezed her eyes more tightly shut and snuggled closer to the girl wrapped in her arms, burying her face in soft hair to block out the offending light. The movement must’ve woken Scylla, who wiggled backward even closer, humming contentedly. Raelle smiled and ran her nose along the back of Scylla’s neck, pressing little kisses across her skin.

“‘Morning,” she said, her voice still thick with sleep. She spread the kisses further down Scylla’s shoulder.

Scylla turned on to her back with a giggle. “‘Morning to you. Trying to start something are we? I’m not opposed,” she said, linking a hand with Raelle’s.

Raelle chuckled deep in her throat and started kissing her way across Scylla’s collarbone, up the side of her neck, and finally to her lips, listening to the girl’s breath hitch and become uneven. She rolled on top of Scylla, supporting her weight on her free hand, and kissed her deeply for a few moments.

She pulled back, pressing their intertwined hands against Scylla’s chest to keep her from following. “Sorry,” she said teasingly, “I have practice this morning. So while I _am_ trying to start something-” she slid a finger lightly along the skin straight from Scylla’s neck down to her navel and gave her another deep, rough kiss- “I’m afraid I won’t be able to finish it until later.”

Scylla lay somewhat dazed as she watched Raelle’s nude form leave the bed and begin to dress. She shook her head and propped herself up on her elbows, trying to put a sentence together.

“That’s… rude,” she said finally, exasperated. Raelle laughed and winked over her shoulder as she yanked her pants up.

“I’ll make it up to you later, promise,” she said, adjusting her belt. Scylla grumbled and sat up, pulling some shorts and a t-shirt on. “Besides,” Raelle added, “If I’m late for practice again Abigail might _actually_ kill me and if she goes down for a felony I wanna be there to see it.”

Scylla laughed at that. “How is the High and Mighty anyway? The truce still holding after a whole week?”

“It’s been not so bad. I’ve heard about her family, they breed them that way I’ve learned,” Raelle said jokingly. “Speaking of, what’s your family like? Where are you from?”

There was a pause.

“All over.”

Raelle rolled her eyes as she sat to pull her sneakers on. “Could you be more vague?”

Scylla’s mouth twisted slightly as she responded, “We moved constantly, my whole life.”

Raelle nodded, “Ah, gotcha. What was that like? They military or something?”

“No.” After a dissatisfied look from Raelle she added, “It’s complicated.”

“I do ‘complicated’.”

Scylla just sat and stared at Raelle, until she was saved by the literal bell, which now sounded clear across the campus.

“Don’t you have to get to practice? I’d be pretty upset if Abigail killed you. You have a promise to keep after all,” she said, relieved and plastering a smile across her face. Raelle pulled her jacket on irritatedly and didn’t reply. As she went to leave, Scylla put her hands on her shoulders, smoothing out her collar. “I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah, maybe. Not sure what all Coach has planned for us today,” she said noncommittally. Scylla leaned in to kiss her but Raelle turned her head at the last moment, catching the kiss on her cheek instead. She walked out, closing the door behind her.

Scylla stared after her for a long time.

~.~

On the practice field, Anacostia assembled the full athletics program for a pre-work out announcement.

“Alright we are nearing the end of pre-semester practice, and so far I have seen some very promising work, both from upperclassmen and freshmen. Competition has been fierce, but it’s time to kick it up a notch once again.” The players began looking around at each other, several shifting restlessly, excitement building. “Today we mix the newbies and the veterans, and see how you play with each other.” Several triumphant and excited cries went up from the older players, while the younger ones looked nervous.

“Be as excited as you want,” Anacostia continued, “but just remember no one’s spot is guaranteed.” She eyed the upperclassmen carefully. “And there are some very talented newcomers this year.” She nodded thoughtfully and addressed everyone assembled, “Now! You thought the storm had passed? You thought wrong.” The excitement built once more. “The Storm breaks… Now! Go!” 

The players howled and pounded their chests where they carried the image of the Furies of myth, stomping their feet and breaking into a chant. The teams split up to head to their separate fields until only the lacrosse players remained.

Anacostia looked her players over with a keen eye.

“Well, first stringers would be running laps by now.”

They ran.

~.~

That day and the next were even more brutal than the first week and a half combined. The upperclassmen were strong, fast, and better conditioned, and for the first time in her life, Abigail struggled to keep up.

At first she was feeling pretty good about her Unit’s progress and even begrudgingly admitted Raelle had been putting in a lot of effort and improvement, but she soon realized they were still miles behind the upperclassmen. Immediately she pushed the three of them even harder, extremely conscious of how this performance must be affecting their ranking.

She made a point of making sure her group was first on the field and the very last one off, though she almost needed a child leash to keep Raelle around. And Tally, for all her energy and bounce, was starting to slow down as well. She believed they would do better if she pushed just a little harder, so she did.

And _Libba._ The traitor-trash. She sailed around Abigail on the field, always with a mocking smile or cutting remark. A small part of Abigail was jealous, watching how Libba ran her Unit with smooth efficiency and an iron grip. 

Their Unit’s performance on the first day was terrible, in her mind. They _barely_ managed the training program of the upperclassmen, and she kicked herself for not cranking her group’s training up sooner, to get a leg up on the competition.

The next day, _everyone_ was showing signs of the strain. The adrenaline and excitement had kept them going the day before, but now they were paying for it in aching muscles. Abigail saw an opportunity and grabbed it, making sure her Unit had stretched a lot and had used heating pads the night before as well as in the morning to lessen the aches. She was able to get them up and on the field doing warm-ups before anyone else, Libba just a hair behind them.

The day went slightly better than the previous, her Unit being able to keep up and do well in the drills and work-outs, but she still believed they could do better.

 _Unacceptable,_ she thought to herself on that second day, panting through a two mile run. _Not good enough, my time is going to be terrible. Let’s go Bellweather, final stretch here._

She wasn’t just thinking about the run. With string selection only two weeks away, she was putting every ounce of strength and energy she could into these final practices. 

_If they don’t have to carry me off the field I’m not trying hard enough._

Eventually she noticed another presence: Tally pulled up next to her, keeping pace.

“Hey! Practice ended like an hour ago, why are you still out here? We already did miles today, on top of all the other work-outs and drills.” She paused and sped in front of Abigail, turning to face her and running backwards. “Did you get punishment laps too? I may die of shock.” She smiled invitingly, hoping Abigail would join in the joke. When she didn’t, Tally rambled on, “I was coming to see if Raelle finished hers, but I’m starting to think she just didn’t do them…”

Abigail rolled her eyes and huffed, “Practice might be finished but I’m not. You’ve seen those rankings, we’ve gotta do better.”

Tally looked puzzled. “But our Unit is in first place?”

“First among _Freshmen,_ we have no idea how we rank against the upperclassmen. We have to push harder if we’re going to make it.”

Tally rolled her eyes and fell back in next to Abigail.

“Come on, you’re pushing too hard, you’re going to hurt yourself. You don’t even rest on rest days!” She watched Abigail, concerned.

“They were running circles around us today,” she said, eyes focused forward, feet churning steadily, chest heaving.

“No they weren’t! Abigail seriously, you have to slow down. Even if we do make first string, you’ll collapse before the first game!” Tally exclaimed, very worried.

Abigail tore her eyes from the road to glare at her roommate.

“A Bellweather doesn’t fail.”

“Ok, you’re sounding like a propaganda poster again.”

“Just go away Tally. I need to finish this and my time is already terrible. And I want to hit the weight room one more time before it’s locked up for the night.

Tally looked shocked. “Abigail! No! That’s- that’s crazy!”

“Just shut up Tally! Fuck off!” Abigail shouted, not looking at her. “I need to-”

The hand that shot out in front of her chest knocked the wind out of her, stopping the rest of her words. She gasped and fell to one knee, gasping for air. Long legs passed in front of her, kneeling until a freckled face with kind eyes blocked her vision.

Tally’s hands on her shoulders were gentle, but her voice was stern.

“Do _not_ talk to me like that, Abigail Bellweather. You do not get to walk all over me, do you understand?”

Abigail could only nod as she focused on getting her breathing under control.

Tally continued, “You will stop this right now. I understand you are under pressure, but this is not helping you, or anyone. You are going to _hurt_ yourself, not to mention me and Raelle, and no string placement is worth that.” She squeezed Abigail’s shoulders for emphasis and moved her hands to the girl’s face. “You are more important, Ok? And if you don’t start taking better care of yourself, so help me _fuck_ I will do it for you.”

Abigail’s breath finally evened out, and she met Tally’s gaze squarely, finding every inch of stubbornness she herself had ever had.

Eventually she sighed, “Ok Tal, you win.” She let Tally help haul her to her feet. “Let’s go back.”

Tally smiled and drew Abigail’s arm around her shoulder, chattering away again as they went back to their room.

And if Abigail leaned on her a little heavily for support, neither girl said anything.

~.~

Raelle sat up in her bed quickly, startled by the sound of someone stumbling heavily through the door. She peeked around her blanket curtain and saw Tally hauling an exhausted Abigail towards the bathroom, shoving her through and reaching into the closet next to her to throw a towel after her.

Raelle sat up fully and started clearing the letters of her bed, knowing that Tally would probably-

“Hi!” Tally shoved her curtain aside and plunked herself down on the end of the bed. “We have seven minutes while she’s in the shower.”

Raelle chuckled and shook her head. “I’m shocked she’s back this early. Where are the chains you used?”

“We have an understanding now.” Tally was mostly her cheerful self, but Raelle could hear a note of seriousness in her voice. “She’s no longer going to kill herself trying so hard.”

Raelle quirked an eyebrow at her, impressed.

“Wow. You know if this lacrosse thing doesn’t pan out, you have a strong future in politics. Or social work. Making kids play nice,” she said with a half-smile.

Tally grinned and nudged Raelle with her shoulder, crinkling some of the letters in the process. She looked down.

“So what are these anyway? Secret girlfriend?” She asked, drawing out the word and wiggling her eyebrows. She reached for one.

Raelle snatched them up and held them to her chest. “No!” she exclaimed, too forcefully. Tally sat back, looking hurt. Raelle sighed, “Ok, I’m sorry. They’re um, from my mom.”

“Aww that's cute! She sends you letters?”

“...Sent.”

The smile faded quickly from Tally’s face. After a pause she reached a tentative hand out to take hold of Raelle’s.

Softly she said, “I’m sorry, Raelle. Do you want to talk about it?” She stroked her thumb over the back of Raelle’s hand.

She shook her head vehemently. “No, not really. But thanks.” As hard as she tried, Raelle couldn’t stop her eyes from welling up. She tried to look away but Tally saw them anyway.

Tally didn’t hesitate to reach out and wrap her arms around the smaller girl’s shoulders, holding her tightly. Raelle stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed, letting herself be comforted for the first time in a long time.

Tally didn’t pry further.

“If you ever change your mind, I’m a good listener,” Tally said as she pulled back, smiling softly.

Raelle sniffed and chuckled, “I don’t know, Tal, you talk an awful lot.”

Both girls laughed loudly on the bed, as the moment passed.

“So!” Tally began, leaning back against the wall, “Anything _fun_ happening tonight or do we have the pleasure of your company?” she asked with a wink.

Raelle leaned next to her and shoved her lightly. “Subtle. I don’t leave _every_ night you know.”

“Yeah you pretty much do,” Tally replied. “I’m shocked you still have enough energy for practice!” 

Raelle gasped, mock-scandalized, and Tally howled with laughter as Raelle nearly shoved her off the bed.

“Tally Craven, manners.” Raelle shook her head, pretending to be disappointed. “ _No,_ I am not going anywhere tonight.”

Raelle thought her voice was even, but Tally was sharp. She whipped her head towards Raelle at the slight sour note in her voice; the slight look of discontent on her face.

“Wait, what’s wrong? It _is_ a girl you’re seeing right?”

Raelle caved. “ _Yes,_ Tally, she is a girl, and _yes_ we’ve been kind of seeing each other. It’s fine, it’s nothing serious.” But Raelle still looked disconcerted.

Tally scooted closer until their arms were pressed together. When Raelle looked at her, she just raised an eyebrow, waiting.

Raelle let out an explosive, exasperated groan. “You’re the _worst_ and I condemn your existence. Look, it’s not a big deal Ok? I’m just… annoyed. She doesn’t have to tell me anything right? It’s just a casual thing. Don’t make a big deal.”

Tally paused as Raelle trailed off, putting the pieces together in her head.

Finally she said, “Well that’s fine then, if you want it to stay a casual thing. _If_ you perhaps wanted it to be more… well _more_ , and I’m not saying you are, but _if…_ then it would make sense that you would be upset if you tried to get to know her and it didn’t work. And if you _were_ upset, and I’m not saying you are, but _if_ , then I would offer this advice: talk to her again, tell her you’ll listen, but also wait for her. Let her come to you. We’re all people, Raelle. We all take our own time to open up.” Tally bumped her shoulder against Raelle’s. “This is all hypothetical, of course. A casual thing, if you will.”

Raelle kept her eyes forward, refusing to meet Tally’s eye and watch the smirk spread across her face.

“ _Fine._ Annoying, meddlesome creature that you are. But I _will_ finish my wallowing in self-pity before I do any of that. And it’s _not_ because I’m upset. I just don’t like sleeping in here. The Bellweather snores.”

Tally just nodded sagely saying, “Of course, Rae.”

And if Raelle leaned on her a little more heavily for support, neither girl said anything.

~.~

The next day, Saturday, dawned bright and happy.

But Scylla felt neither bright, nor happy.

She hadn’t seen Raelle in a couple days and she was worried she might have blown it with the other girl.

 _You better get her attention back Ramshorn, or you’re fucked._ She hadn’t received another phone call, but she knew it was only a matter of time.

And yet, another part of her was upset for a different reason. The part of her that actually _liked_ Raelle, for real. The girl was smart, funny, quick-witted, and not afraid to speak her mind. She didn’t let others control her, which was something Scylla was envious of. But any time those thoughts started to rise in her mind, she quickly shut them down.

_No time for that, focus up._

She went to breakfast, pondering how best to set up a meeting between her and Raelle that seemed accidental, but still would buy her time to regain the girl's trust.

_Can’t be on the field, I’ll get flagged for being in the wrong place. I wish she would visit the gardens again, that would be the perfect place._

She smiled fondly as she remembered their brief adventure in the Necro Den, before a letter falling in front of her startled her out of her reverie.

She looked down at the letter covering her cereal bowl and up at the person who dropped it. Helen Graves, a TA from her department, stood over her.

“Got this note to pass on to you. Some blonde girl in the dorm asked about you.” With no further explanation, Helen left.

Scylla blinks in confusion before opening the letter, which she now saw bore her name on the other side.

Unfolding it, she read, _Hey. Um, sorry I ghosted. That was kind of a dick move._ Several lines had then been crossed out, leaving them unreadable. Then, _Look I want to see you again, if that’s cool? Coach said she’s impressed with all the work we’ve been putting in (I thought Tally was gonna bounce out of her cleats, ha) and is giving us light practice today, and letting us go to Fall Fest in Salem._ More lines were crossed out. _Stupid words… I don’t know if you can, I know you’re busy, but I hope I can see you there._ Another line was crossed out but Scylla thought she could make out the word ‘date’. _So, yeah, that’s it. Hope to see you there, Scyl._

_Scyl?_

She couldn’t stop the smile (or the blush) spreading across her face as she read the letter again, just a few more times.

~.~

The bus ride into Salem was boring but crowded. Scylla disliked being crammed in among so many people, but with the rest of the student body arriving over the weekend, all the buses going back and forth between the university and Fall Fest were packed full. She just curled herself further against the window and waited for the ride to be over.

A short time later, she emerged gratefully into a cool early Fall evening, breathing deeply and taking in the smell of fried foods and sweets. She wasn’t one hundred percent certain where to find Raelle, but the festival wasn’t enormous or too spread out, and all the athletics students would be wearing their jerseys. She decided to poke around a bit and see if she could find her.

After wandering the grounds for about thirty minutes, she did. There was a crowd of athletics jerseys milling around a small pizzeria, and more she could see inside. Approaching the window, she peered in and quickly spotted Raelle, at a table with her Unit mates and another girl who seemed to be hanging on the redhead’s arm.

She deliberately ignored the fluttering feeling in her stomach when she walked in and Raelle immediately turned her way, locking eyes. And she ignored the way it migrated to her chest and intensified when Raelle’s face lit up after seeing her.

Raelle shot out of her chair as Scylla reached the table and pressed close to be heard over the din of the restaurant.

“Hey! I- I wasn’t sure if you’d make it,” she said, clearly happy.

Scylla tore her eyes away from the girl’s lips to look her in the eyes. “And miss a chance to see you? Never.” She smirked at the blush that spread across Raelle’s face. “Wanna get out of here?”

Raelle smiled and nodded before turning to the rest of the table. “So, this is Scylla. Scylla, this is Abigail, Tally, and Glory,” she said, gesturing to each girl. Tally and Glory waved enthusiastically while Abigail gave her a once-over.

“So this is Bio?” she asked, unimpressed.

“And you must be High Atlantic,” came Scylla’s sharp reply. Abigail only arched an eyebrow at Raelle in response.

Raelle grabbed Scylla’s arm and began herding her towards the door.

“Ok, yeah, let’s go.”

~.~

They wandered around the festival for a while, watching little kids play games, stopping by artist booths to admire the art, window shopping at the many vendor carts selling little trinkets and souvenirs. They stopped at a food truck eventually for hot dogs and deep fried Oreos, which Scylla was highly suspicious of but Raelle was insistent on.

Once they cleaned up they wandered away from the festival grounds a bit, into the tree line. Scylla pretended her heart didn’t skip a beat when Raelle’s hand slipped into hers.

“Always sneaking me off to the woods, aren’t you?” Raelle said playfully. 

Scylla smiled and shrugged. “As long as you keep following, yes.” 

They walked in comfortable silence for a bit until they came across an old, dead log on the ground, between two trees. Scylla smiled and crouched near it, poking around underneath.

“Uhh, what are you doing?”

Scylla paused and looked back, “I want to show you something beautiful.”

Raelle hesitated but smiled and crouched next to her. “I’m pretty sure you're only going to find bugs and dead stuff under there.”

Scylla paused again and met Raelle’s curious gaze with a wicked glint in her eyes. “Who says that’s not what I meant?” To Raelle’s confused smile she said, “You think I’m weird?”

Raelle shook her head and said, “Like, sexy weird. I like it.”

They both laughed.

Finally, Scylla seemed satisfied with what she found and rolled the log over a little so Raelle could see underneath. It was crawling with bugs, and covered in moss, dead leaves, and what looked like mushrooms. Holding the log up with one hand, Scylla ran her free hand along the damp moss, not seeming to mind the little beetle that ran across her fingers.

“People think death is some big, scary, end-all thing. Or they think it’s all gross bugs and decomposition and fungi growing on a body. That it’s just what happens when you can’t ‘life’ anymore. But it’s more than that. Death is not a punishment, it’s a reward. For the life we have, and finish. It’s rest. It’s sending your kid off to college after eighteen long years; it’s kicking your feet up after a long day at work. It’s a gift, just as much as life.” She pointed out a dead leaf that had clearly been nibbled on, and some sprouts poking out of the dead earth.

“And it’s never permanent. Life becomes death, which feeds life. Over and over.” She looked up and was startled to find Raelle watching her with a stunned expression, and something that looked like awe.

“Scyl…” Raelle trailed off.

“The opposite of life is not death, it’s decay. Death is the opposite of birth, and life is what happens in between.” Scylla put the log back down.

Several moments passed in silence as Scylla watched Raelle struggle to say something.

Finally Raelle got out, “My- my mom… She’s really dead.”

Scylla froze.

_Ah, shit._

“I- I’m sorry. I know it’s a sensitive subject.” Raelle shook her head, stopping her.

“No, actually, that made me feel better than I’ve felt in a while.” She smiled sadly at Scylla. “Thank you. I’ve never heard it like that before.” Raelle took a deep breath and continued, “And… I’m sorry about the other day. I shouldn’t have been so pushy.”

_Well, she beat me to it._

“No it’s Ok,” Scylla said quickly, “I’m just… not used to talking about myself. It doesn’t come to me very easily.”

Raelle’s face softened as she said, “Take as much time as you need.”

Scylla felt the warm feeling return to her chest and maybe didn’t try as hard as she should have to tamp it down.

“I’ve been burned before,” she said, trying to both show _and_ hide her fear that she still would be rejected.

Raelle looked at her for a long moment, and Scylla felt like the girl could see right into her soul.

Finally Raelle said, “You are _so_ beautiful,” her voice thick with emotion. She reached out and gently- _so_ gently- cupped Scylla’s face in her hands, pulling her in.

This kiss was different from all the others they’d shared so far. It was soft and sweet and full of passion, and a deep emotion neither girl was prepared to name yet. It was hope and awe and healing, and when they finally parted, they stayed with their foreheads pressed together for a long time.

And when the warm feeling came back again, Scylla let it grow.

~.~

The after party in the LAX hall was in full-swing, despite it being close to midnight. Tally could barely read the time on her watch with her head so fuzzy. She was laying on the hardwood floor in her dorm with about half the athletics program freshmen lounging around on the beds and desk, as music blasted down the hall. Abigail was sitting on her own bed, leaning against the wall, and Raelle was perched in the desk chair. 

Tally was happy to see them both and saluted them with her bottle of tequila (she missed the look the two exchanged where Raelle mimed to Abigail to take the bottle away). She managed to get herself into a sitting position as Glory finished telling the story of what happened in the pizza parlor.

“-should have seen Tally! That guy was totally drunk, totally obnoxious, and she _totally_ put him in his place! When she yelled at him, I thought she’d send him flying into the wall,” Glory finished, laughing and falling back against the wall from where she was sitting on Raelle’s bed. Libba, who also sat on Raelle’s bed, toasted Tally with her cup.

“Nice, Craven. Can’t believe you didn’t get in trouble with Anacostia.”

Tally shook her head vigorously and said, “Nnnnnope! She never knew. Sommmmebody didn’t tell her,” she added with an exaggerated wink at Abigail.

Abigail shook her head fondly and stated, “I got your back, Tal.”

Tally smiled and hummed happily.

Abigail turned her smirk over towards Raelle. “Awfully nice to meet you girlfriend, Raelle.”

Tally’s eyes shot open and she gasped loudly, whipping towards Raelle.

“Oh my god,” she said, scooting over to her.

“Stop! Tally-” Raelle tried to protest but she couldn’t keep the smile (or the blush) off her face.

“We’re officially saying _girlfriend_ ,” Tally said excitedly, in an exaggerated whisper. Trying to put on a serious face, and mostly failing, she added, “I really like her.”

Raelle surrendered to the torment and said, “Me too, Tal,” and patted the girl’s face gently.

Tally ‘aww’d’ and cooed and slid back to the floor, giggling madly. But it was only a short moment later, as the other girls laughed over Raelle’s obvious embarrassment, that she hopped up on to her feet, holding the bottle out.

“I just want to say something,” she began, as the other girls looked at each other, amused. “My mom never wanted me to come here. It’s suuuper far away. And she said people could be mean, or something. But you guys- you guys are amazing. And I am, just, _so_ honored, to serve this school with you.”

There were laughs as Libba said, “Oookay, maybe take it down a notch there, Craven.”

Glory added, “Yeah, I think maybe you’re getting a little carried away-”

Tally cut her off. “No! I mean it. There’s never been no finer team ever. Then us.”

Many heads tilted in confusion as the girls tried to figure out what she had said.

“No matter what,” Tally continued, not seeming to notice the puzzlement, “no matter what string or what sport,” she took a deep breath, “we are Furries,” she finished dramatically, raising her bottle.

The room exploded into laughter, and more could even be heard coming from the hallway following Tally’s loud declaration. 

She looked mildly put-off that no one had jumped in with her so she repeated, “We are!”

Glory looked at her friend fondly and hopped off the bed to stand next to her, adding her cup to the toast. Tally wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against her own chest before looking pointedly at the other girls in the room.

Raelle sighed and slid off the chair, smiling, joining the toast, as Abigail and even Libba did the same. The rest of the girls raised their cups from where they were. Abigail nudged Raelle with her shoulder, nodding her head towards Tally and chuckling. Raelle just rolled her eyes fondly and shrugged back.

As they all raised the toast and cheered, Tally knew she had made the right choice.

~.~

There was a voicemail waiting when she got back to her room.

_We will want to know the results of string selections as soon as they are finished. It’s time for you to start gathering information. We’ll be in touch, Scylla._

~.~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to be posting some art along with each chapter, so if you have some or know some one who would like to be showcased, let me know! It can be lacrosse-related or not, and any of the characters.
> 
> Today's art is brought to you by a collaboration between my friend Kal, [@kalvzr](https://twitter.com/kalvzr) on Twitter, and Liandré, [@INKrediblyS](https://twitter.com/INKrediblyS) also on Twitter, _please_ check them out and send them love!
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss out on updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


	3. Settled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The men's sports teams arrive at Salem U, and the women scrimmage against them in a final chance to show their skills, this last day before string selections.  
> A boy from Scylla's part shows up, leading her to finally open up to Raelle about herself. Both girls start to realize there is something real between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok starting off with an apology and an edit: My timeline and outline for this fic did not match up entirely and I only just realized it yesterday. I erroneously stated in the last chapter that string selection happened the first day of school. I _meant_ to say it happened two weeks into the semester. So the last two weeks of August > Fall Fest and the first day of classes > two more weeks in which the upperclassmen and freshmen mix together > and then this chapter here. I apologize for any confusion, and I went ahead and made 2-3 edits in the last chapter to reflect the correct chain of events.
> 
> My beta was unavailable to edit this one. She "hurt her back" and is "laying down to die", or whatever. (I love you buddy, feel better soon <3 ). So this hot mess was edited by yours truly. Still go and see her at [tallycravens](https://tallycravens.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr and wish her well and tell her she's lovely.

_settled: players in position_

The crowd of girls standing around the athletics field bus drop-off could’ve given the Macy’s Day Parade a run for its money. They sat on cars (carefully), fences, plastic trash can guards, and lined the steps leading up to the athletics building. Students milled about in every conceivable free space, waiting. Most were waiting for something to start.

Raelle was waiting for it to be over.

This fine Saturday, two weeks into the semester and the day before strings were selected, was reserved every year for a visit from Salem University's sister school over in Danvers.

Well, brother school might be more accurate.

Raelle resettled herself against the wall restlessly, watching Tally bounce up and down by the handrail. Mentally she kicked herself for turning down Scylla's offer to join her, despite being busy with classwork. Raelle would've appreciated the distraction and in hindsight she didn't _really_ need to be so magnanimous about letting Scylla off the hook. She sighed loudly.

Abigail glanced at her briefly before addressing Tally, who was leaning precariously over the handrail of the stairs they were on, trying to see farther down the road.

“Careful Tal, if you fall you’re not gonna look very cute when they get here,” she said teasingly. Raelle snorted and sent Abigail an agreeing look. Abigail gave Tally a pat on the back as the other girl reluctantly climbed down from the rail and resumed her impatient fidgeting.

“Don’t joke, Abs. I made sure this morning before we left- I look cute as hell today.” Abigail and Raelle chuckled. “Anyway, how can you guys not be more excited?”

Raelle scoffed, “Uh-”

“Ok, well, you don’t count, lesbian. Abigail though, come on! This is the best day of the school year!”

“Why don’t either of you feel this way about string selection?” Abigail grumbled. “We've only been busting our asses for it day in and day out for a month now.”

Tally ignored her; she had spotted Glory. “Hey!” She waved her friend over. “They should be here any minute!”

Glory grimaced slightly, “Yeah, can’t wait. Love huge crowds of people. Can’t wait for more people.”

Raelle laughed and pulled her kindred spirit over to the wall.

“Park it here, Glory. We’ll wait out this mess and make sure Tally doesn’t make a fool of herself, eh?” she said with a wink. Glory smiled gratefully back at her.

Suddenly a cheer rose from the end of the crowd. It swelled and rippled and soon (nearly) every girl was on her feet cheering and stomping, as several long buses came around the corner into view.

Tally was right back up on the railing, with Abigail laughing and holding on to the back of her shirt. Tally’s hands shot into the air, clapping and cheering along with everyone else as Abigail held her steady.

Raelle rolled her eyes at the het nonsense of it all and slung a casual arm around Glory, who was clearly very uncomfortable in all the noise. Glory patted her hand appreciatively.

The buses rolled to a stop in front of the building, and finally Raelle could see what all the fuss was about:

Boys.

Every year at Salem U, string selection was kicked off by a visit from the men’s athletics program from the all-male university. ‘Salem Too’, as many students referred to it. The two athletic departments would merge for a few days, through string selection, and a celebration would be held to kick off the new season.

The cheering reached new heights (and pitch) as the men began to file off the buses and stand in orderly lines while the head of their program met with Anacostia and Alder and exchanged friendly greetings.

“They do love to peacock and strut,” Abigail remarked as she looked over the mens’ lines- like a general inspecting her troops. Glory made a decidedly disinterested face.

Raelle cocked her head at Glory, considering.

_...hmmm._

_Oh!_

_Ok. Cool… be cool._

Raelle squeezed Glory’s shoulders and when the girl looked at her, she gave an understanding nod.

The coaches all finished making their announcements and the men began to file one by one into the building. The women continued cheering, and somewhere in the crowd a chant broke out.

One of the men, with a face even Raelle admitted was very pretty, stopped in front of Abigail.

“What’s up, Bellweather?” He said in a friendly tone. Smiling, he embraced Abigail.

“Good to see you, Buttonwood. See you on the field I mean,” Abigail replied, half menacing and half friendly. The boy winked at her and went to move on but stopped again in front of Tally. 

Immediately her face turned as red as her hair as the two locked eyes for a moment before he was dragged off by some of his teammates. He still turned back to smile and wave at Tally before he disappeared into the building.

Tally was blushing and speechless as Raelle and Abigail shared a disgusted and amused look over the Disney moment.

Eventually Raelle laughed and rolled her eyes and started tugging Glory towards the dorms.

“Come on, I gotta get away from all this het energy. Abigail, have fun cleaning that up,” she added, jerking a thumb towards Tally, who still hadn’t moved. “We’ll meet you at the scrimmage later.”

Abigail sighed and squared her shoulders. “Ok Tal, I know he’s pretty but we gotta go get ready.”

No response.

Raelle cackled as Abigail shook her head, bent down, and hoisted Tally over her shoulder, heading off to maybe dump her in the showers.

~.~

Anacostia surveyed the group in front of her. Though she’d never admit it out loud, she was incredibly impressed with their efforts so far in training. Especially that Bellweather Unit. Dysfunctional as they were, they still showed amazing talent and promise. Despite being only Freshman, the three girls had taken well to the intensified training regime of the upperclassmen, even surpassing a few of them.

At last the team assembled and settled down, sitting on benches and leaning on the lockers in the locker room.

“Alright. This is your last chance to show what you’re made of; your last chance to grab your spot on top. We have the last scrimmage of the day, and the men’s lacrosse team is no joke. Consider this your first taste of what a full game will be like.” She paused before adding, “If, of course, you’re on the field to taste it.”

The words hung ominously in the air, and the girls focused. Grips tightened on lacrosse sticks, eyes narrowed, heads turned to nod at each other.

“Do _not_ hold back. This is the wall of the Storm: break through, and become the Fury.”

She waited until the cheering and stomping quieted down.

“One last thing: I’m sure many of you have heard by now that this fraudulent betting ring has struck again.” Murmurs broke out around the room. “One of the Universities in our circuit has had its athletics program nearly dismantled after several key members were arrested in relation to this as-yet unidentified group. I want to reassert that this sort of activity, if found here, will be met with legal action and immediate expulsion, and also if anyone has any suspicions or concerns they should report it to me immediately.”

Anacostia read the room once more, waiting until she had nods of agreement from everyone.

“Alright. Enough of that. Look sharp!” At this command, the team snapped upright, the chattering tabled for now. “Time to go ladies, let’s show those boys how it’s done.”

And she winked.

~.~

Raelle leaned against the bleachers, waiting for the field to be set and the scrimmage to be called to start. The air was filled with excitement and chattering as members of both schools mixed and mingled in the stands.

Raelle ignored all of that though- her attention was fixed on the very pretty girl in front of her.

“Are you sure you can’t stay?” Raelle asked, tugging Scylla’s hand.

Scylla smiled apologetically, saying, “I’m sorry. The timing is just really crap. I promise to try and catch you after the game though,” she said, lacing their fingers together.

Raelle stomped down on the disappointment in her chest.

“It’s Ok,” she said, smiling reassuringly. “I’ll see you later.”

She kissed Scylla’s cheek and pulled away, but Scylla quickly leaned back in for a better kiss. They smiled and pressed their lips together, Raelle holding Scylla’s chin between her thumb and index finger, before she broke away with a contended hum.

Raelle watched her go with what was probably a very dumb smile on her face, until a freckled arm was slung across her shoulders. She glared up at Tally who said nothing, but waggled her eyebrows suggestively, looking at the direction Scylla left.

“Say nothing, Leggy,” Raelle groused.

Tally just made a zipping motion across her mouth before towing Raelle over to where the rest of the team waited, doing warm-ups.

While a senior lead the stretches and light drills, Abigail plunked herself between her Unit mates.

“Ok this is it. Last shot for greatness here.” Tally and Raelle rolled their eyes good-naturedly. “Yeah yeah, I know,” she continued, “propaganda. But really, I one hundred percent think we have a shot here. Let’s give it our all.”

Warm-ups ended and Tally wrapped herself around the side of Abigail with a squeal.

“Don’t worry! We’re gonna kill it! We’ll give it our all, General, we promise.” Tally skipped away to talk to Glory, who looked like she was about to faint.

Abigail fixed Raelle with a searching look.

Before she could say anything, Raelle smirked and held out her fist. Abigail smiled and nodded, bumping it with hers.

“Thanks, Shitbird.”

“Let’s do this, Bellweather.”

~.~

The scrimmage went well.

Very. Well.

Not only did the women’s team _thrash_ the men’s, but the Bellweather Unit did exceptionally well also.

They flew the ball across the field together, one end to the other. They called out, and listened in return. Tally was tireless, Raelle was observant from the back, and Abigail made for a powerful leadership figure from the front. Each Unit had the same amount of field time in which to show their skill and effectiveness, and the Bellweather Unit was near-flawless.

A far cry from Day 1.

Anacostia watched them closely from the sidelines, a smile creeping across her face.

She picked up her clipboard, and added a few ticks.

~.~

Raelle was a bit off from the rest of the team, packing her bag and getting ready to go, when she noticed a problem with one of her cleats. The bottom of the left one was peeling off near the toe, worn down by years of use.

She scowled and looked around to see if anyone had seen. Reaching into her duffel, she grabbed out a roll of duct tape and wound it around her shoe.

_Sloppy quick fix, but it’ll have to hold._

Suddenly, she became aware of a presence behind her. She stood and whirled around, coming face to face with a member of the men’s team. He was frowning at her.

“Can I help you?” Raelle snapped at him.

He replied, “Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be rude. I’m Porter,” he added, extending his hand.

Raelle ignored it and watched him carefully. She was pretty sure she had seen him before…

“Weren’t you watching me earlier? I saw you by the tree, right? Before the game?” She scoffed. “I don’t know about rude, let’s start with creepy.”

He winced. “Sorry. Look, I saw you with Scylla and I got caught off-guard. Didn’t mean to creep you out.”

Raelle’s annoyance faded, replaced by curiosity.

“You know Scylla?”

Porter laughed humorlessly.

“Yeah you could say that. Not as well as I thought, maybe.” Raelle didn’t respond but her thought’s must’ve been on her face. Porter added, “Looks like you know the feeling. Listen, maybe it’s not my place, but be careful around Scylla, alright? She tends to disappear.”

Raelle struggled to find words for an answer. She detected no deceit in the boy’s words, and she had already experienced Scylla’s evasiveness firsthand. Despite their talk a couple of weeks ago, Scylla had yet to open up about herself.

“Porter!”

They both jumped at the sound of Scylla’s voice. The girl in question arrived next to Raelle, glaring daggers at Porter.

Raelle looked between the two of them and decided she didn’t have time to unpack this right now. Abigail was waving her over anyway.

“I’ll catch you later, Scyl,” she tossed over her shoulder as she made her escape.

  
  


After Raelle left, Scylla turned her attention to Porter.

“What are you doing here?”

“Come on, you know I go to Salem Too. Or, you would if you had stuck around long enough for me to tell you.”

Scylla glared at him. “Sorry, what with my parents dying and all, must’ve slipped my mind.”

Porter’s face softened. “I’m sorry. I heard about what happened. You know I would’ve been there for you, Scylla. I looked for you, but you disappeared.”

“Keep watching, I’m going to do it again,” she snapped as she started to leave.

“I know you, Scylla! You’re a runner, you always have been,” he shouted to her back.

Scylla didn’t look back but as she stormed off, she muttered under her breath:

“You don’t know me at all.”

~.~

Abigail stretched out happily on the picnic blanket. The weather was perfect and she had the tell-tale comfortable soreness of a game well-played.

_Even I can admit that performance was outstanding. And Anacostia was impressed, I could tell. We should be shoo-ins for first string._

Her enjoyment did not seem to be shared by her Unit mates, who were sharing the picnic blanket. Raelle seemed to be mulling something over pretty seriously, and Tally couldn’t go a full minute without sneaking a glance over her shoulder. 

Abigail sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Could you two _be_ anymore depressing right now? Hello?? This picnic is supposed to let us get to know the men’s teams and the other teams at Salem U. It’s a reward? For getting through pre-season training?”

Raelle grunted noncommittally, while Tally snuck yet another glance over her shoulder, at a mixed group of lacrosse players. A group which, predictably, contained Gerit Buttonwood.

Abigail sat up and nudged Tally with her toe.

“Just go talk to him! He’s not scary, trust me,” she said, dismissively.

Tally scoffed, “And say what? ‘Hi, I’m Tally, I’m a complete virgin, and I’m hot for any part of you that’s available right now?’”

That got Raelle’s attention.

“Well I’m not sure I would lead with that… but points for honesty.”

Abigail waved for her to be quiet.

“Just wave him over, Tal. Let him do that work.” She held up a finger. “Observe.”

Abigail looked around until she caught the eye of an attractive lacrosse player who had been watching her. She held his gaze and tilted her head to bring him over.

He came at the trot.

~.~

Ten minutes later, Raelle and Tally watched with no small amount of awe and respect as Abigail left the picnic, with two very handsome boys (one successfully stolen from the traitor-trash, Libba) following behind her eagerly.

After a long pause, Raelle spoke up.

“That’s our Bellweather.”

~.~

Raelle huffed and shuffled along behind Gerit and Tally as they strolled through the gardens behind the Bio labs. She was happy Tally had worked up the nerve to ask him to come out here, but she didn’t see why she had to be stuck as the third wheel.

_I know she was nervous, but I think I’d rather get a root canal then be the third wheel with a straight couple._

She had tried to protest, but Raelle was realizing more and more that she was powerless against Tally’s puppy dog eyes. (And Abigail was too- they had conferred.) So there she was, plodding along behind them as Gerit went over the top with compliments and Tally blushed at all of them.

_He’s gonna start whistling to birds next, just wait._

While they walked, Raelle felt herself drift again back to the things Porter had said about Scylla.

_Not like anything he said was wrong. She’s cagey as hell._

_Yeah but you said you would wait and let her open up in her own time._

_And I meant it! But still… Does she not trust me? We’ve been… whatever this is for a month now. Thought I might’ve proven myself a little by now._

_Then again, maybe that’s the problem. Just called it ‘whatever this is.’ How can I expect her to open up to me if she doesn’t think this is serious?_

Raelle stopped moving with that thought. How serious was this? She’d had flings in the past, maybe a couple repeats, but never a serious girlfriend. She’d never wanted one.

_Is that what we are? Is that what I want now?_

She didn’t quite notice the smile spreading across her face as she decided she did.

~.~

Scylla watched as Raelle stopped following Tally and the new boy. She seemed to be turning something over in her head. Seemed to be very focused on it.

Distantly she heard Tally ask if she was Ok, and Scylla watched as Raelle waved them on, before leaning on the big tree.

 _Our tree,_ Scylla thought, before wondering when she had started to think of it like that.

She’d shown up at the picnic, even though technically it was only for the athletics students, and the one called Glory had told her which way to go. She’d found Raelle easily enough, and had been following her, waiting for the right moment.

She couldn’t help but think that whatever thoughts had Raelle so distracted right now had something to do with Porter.

_Jesus fuck what did he say to her?_

She shook her head and straightened herself, approaching the tree.

Their tree.

“Miss me?” she asked, coming up behind Raelle.

The girl jumped, startled out of her thoughts.

“Uh, always,” she said, focusing on Scylla. “Sorry, didn’t expect to see you out here.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’m glad you’re here though. We gotta talk, Scyl.”

 _I wonder if those words have ever been said in a_ good _way._

“Look, I’m sorry about Porter, let’s just ignore it, Ok?” she said with a fake smile, reaching for Raelle’s hand.

The hand was pulled away.

“No, not this time. Look, please just tell me. What’s going on? I- You can _trust me_ , Scyl. I promise.” Raelle reached for her hand this time, lacing their fingers together. “I want- I’m listening, Ok?”

Scylla caved at the pleading look on Raelle’s face. And she found that she _did_ trust her.

“Ok. Alright, let’s sit.”

They both sat in the roots of the tree, right in a spot where the roots poked up enough to make a cradle. They leaned on to the tree and each other, fingers still laced, one of Scylla’s legs laying over Raelle’s so they both fit.

Scylla took a deep breath.

“I knew Porter from a long time ago. We grew up in the same town. We-” she paused before plowing through, “we dated. For a bit.” She looked up into the tree branches, searching for clouds through the leaves. “It kinda stopped when my parents…” she trailed off.

She felt Raelle’s hand tighten around hers; felt the girl’s other hand come up and brush her hair behind her ear.

“It’s Ok,” came the soft whisper in her ear.

Scylla swallowed the lump in her throat.

“They were killed when I was sixteen. Car accident. Nobody’s fault.” She heard her voice begin to shake. “Dad was driving, Mom was in back with me. The loudest sound I ever heard, and the whole world flipped. Mom covered me.”

She couldn’t speak anymore- tears were threatening to spill over. She squeezed her free hand until the pain of her nails biting into her skin pushed the tears back. She felt an arm wrap around her shoulders and then she was being pulled against a warm chest.

“I don’t know what to say, Scyl. I’m so sorry.”

Scylla sniffed and turned herself so she was sitting sideways in Raelle’s lap. Raelle’s arms wrapped around her tightly, holding her together and shielding her from the world.

“I kind of fell apart for a while. Moved from place to place. Foster care, you know? I never told people when I would leave, I just- disappeared.” She wiped her eyes and leaned back to look at Raelle. She found no judgement or pity, only understanding.

“When my mom died-” Raelle faltered and frowned, before trying again. “I used to really love lacrosse, you know? I went to camps, trained hard, practiced all the time, ran my shoes off. I was everything Abigail wanted, basically,” she laughed. “And my mom helped. She was a doctor- taught me some stuff. She always supported me. She and my dad were really proud when I got offered a scholarship last year.” She looked sad again. “But after she died? I don’t know. I just stopped caring about it. The game. Didn’t matter anymore. But she wanted me to come here and have a chance at a good life, so,” she shrugged, “here I am.”

Scylla rested her face in the crook of Raelle’s neck, kissing the skin there softly.

“I’m sorry, Raelle.” There didn’t seem to be much more to say besides that.

They sat in silence for a bit, holding each other close, offering what comfort they could.

“Whatever reason I had before,” Raelle began, pulling back to see Scylla’s face, “I’m glad I came here. I’m glad I met you, and I’m glad I have this,” she finished, tightening her arms for emphasis.

Scylla smiled softly at her as her heart flipped in her chest.

“I’m not leaving, Raelle, I promise. I’m done with that. Or, if I _do_ get the urge to run, I promise to take you with me.”

The kiss they shared now was long and sweet, full of promise, full of hope.

~.~

Tally reclined comfortably on one of the couches in Fort Salem, leaning against Gerit’s chest while he had an arm wrapped across her. Her lips still tingled from the kisses they had shared earlier.

She was listening to Libba give a small presentation on some of their teams’ most successful plays. Libba had the attention of about half the mixed athletics departments, and everyone listened closely.

_She certainly knows how to command a room._

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Abigail come in from the outside. They made eye contact and Tally mouthed, _Where were you?_

Abigail winked at her and moved aside so Clive and Augustin could come in behind her, both wearing suspiciously satisfied smiles on their faces.

Tally’s jaw dropped.

_Holy crap, she didn’t. Can you do that? Two boys?! How-?_

She stopped her train of thought there before it went somewhere she didn’t like.

While she was processing, Abigail had noticed Libba’s presentation, and Tally watched her face slowly become angry.

“Uh oh, here it comes,” Gerit said, sounding amused. Tally just sighed.

She tilted her head to look back at him. “Explain?”

He chuckled, “Their families have some weird feud. It’s a High Atlantic thing, trust me, it’s not supposed to make sense,” he added when Tally only looked more confused. “Someone’s in politics, someone’s in the military, and maybe a hundred years ago or whatever, someone said something rude. Who knows anymore,” he finished with a shrug.

Tally turned her attention to the drama now unfolding up front. Abigail had stormed the lectern and hip checked Libba out of the way, boldly declaring that _she_ would now demonstrate to the teams how the plays _actually_ went.

After a few minutes of listening, Tally asked, “Do they not realize they’ve just repeated each other? They just listed the same plays with minor variations. They are _agreeing_ , pretty much.”

Gerit laughed softly. “Too much hate’s been poured into their ears over the years. Maybe one day they’ll figure out they’re on the same page and be even more unstoppable, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Tally just sighed, exasperated, and snuggled in closer.

~.~

Thunder was rumbling ominously outside when the knock came.

Scylla went to the door, resigned. She’d known he’d be back.

“Porter,” she said, opening the door, “what do you want?”

“I need to talk to you,” he said, breezing past her into the room.

Scylla shut the door forcefully, stating, “And you need to stop spooking my girlfriend.”

She startled herself a little, realizing that was the first time she had used that word. It left a warm feeling in her chest, which drove off some of the dread she felt with Porter here. She was still buzzing from her talk with Raelle. Their decision that they wanted a serious relationship had left her reeling; even more so when she realized it wasn’t even a little bit a lie.

Porter turned to face her, not seeming to notice her internal struggle.

“Look, Scylla, I’m sorry about earlier, Ok? Maybe I was out of line. But I _know_ you. You’re so angry at the world. And even before your parents…” He trailed off, hesitating. He sighed, “Even before what happened, you were a commitment-dodger.”

“So, what, you think I’m just using her? Have some fun and I’m out? Is that really who you think I am?”

Scylla began to get upset as the words came out. She wanted to believe them- wanted to believe she _had_ changed. But one glance at the vent in the wall where she hid her burner phone reminded her that it was a lie.

It seemed to fool the boy, however.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that,” Porter responded, his face softening.

“People change Porter, I’ve changed. It’s different now. Raelle- _she’s_ different.” Scylla threw caution to the wind and decided to be honest, just once. “I’m falling for her, for real,” she continued, finally admitting it to herself. “I don’t feel like I _need_ to run when I’m around her.” She paused, and then: “She makes me feel safe,” she finished in a quiet voice, more for herself than anyone else.

A massive crack of thunder shattered the moment, causing both to jump. They flinched again when an alert sounded on Porter’s phone.

“‘All students are to return to dorms immediately and remain INSIDE until the storm has passed,’” he read. Right then, as if it had been waiting for his words, rain began to fall in massive waves, crashing against the window.

Porter sighed again, his mouth twisting to the side. He gave Scylla a long, searching look, before finally nodding.

“You know, I believe you.” He half-smiled. “I hope it’s true, Scylla. You seemed, I dunno, happy with her.” He started towards the door. When he drew level with her, he added, “I’ve known you angry, but I’ve known you happy, too. If you have to choose- between the running and the girl- I hope you choose her.” He patted her awkwardly on the shoulder and departed.

Scylla sat on her floor, listening to the rain pound against the window.

She stared at that vent for a long time.

~.~

Raelle was on her way back to her dorm when the air had grown suddenly thick with moisture. Thunder had been booming overhead as she walked around the campus, thinking, and now it seemed a massive storm was about to break.

She set off at a brisk pace back to the barracks, but within minutes rain began falling fast and hard. A few more minutes and she could barely see a foot in front of her.

_Shit, fuck, not good._

She knew that this time of evening, on a Saturday, not many buildings would be open for her to find cover in, so she ducked her head and continued on toward the athletics dorms, trying to keep on the right pathway in the near-zero visibility.

So focused was she, and so loud was the rain, that she didn’t see the person lying at the bottom of a set of a few steps until she was tripping over them. The profanity she spewed as she tried to right herself was nearly drowned out by a crack of thunder and a renewed downpour.

She checked to see what she had fallen over and was shocked to see Porter lying on the ground, clearly in pain, his face white as a sheet.

And it was easy to see why.

“Oh shit!” Raelle exclaimed as she scrambled over to Porter’s left leg which was positively _gushing_ blood on to the ground. She placed her hands over it and applied as much pressure as she could, trying to stop or slow the bleeding. Porter’s cry of pain was _not_ drowned out by the storm.

A hand grabbed her arm weakly, and she looked over to see Porter white-faced and terrified, but also struggling to keep his eyes open. Blood continued to well up under her hands.

 _Ok we can’t stay here. He’s losing too much blood, he’s going into shock, and this FUCK-ASS COLD RAIN is not going away any time soon. Can’t call for help._ Raelle looked around her in vain, squinting into the wall of rain, trying desperately to see anyone else around or some shelter they could get into.

 _Nothing. Fuck._ She took a deep breath to steady herself, and leaned down so she could talk directly into Porter’s ear.

“We gotta move, Ok? I’m gonna stop the bleeding as much as I can but we gotta go!” she yelled. “Stay awake! I can’t carry you, so you gotta help me. Just don’t pass out, alright?”

Porter nodded weakly, slapping himself on the cheek a few times to wake himself up.

Raelle whipped her shirt off and began tearing strips out of it with her teeth until she could tie a long bandage together. The rest of it she wadded up and pressed against the deep gash in Porter’s thigh.

She could see bone poking out.

Raelle felt a sort of clam settle over her. She could hear her mother’s voice in her head, encouraging and supportive.

She wrapped the bandage tightly around wound and padding to secure it in place. There was nothing she could do to set the break, especially not without risking making it worse internally. She fumbled blindly with her and Porter’s belts, until she had both in hand. Porter’s belt she put between his teeth, with a grim look on her face. She squeezed his hand reassuringly and he closed his eyes, bracing.

She took her own belt and looped it around Porter’s leg, above the gash and the break. With another deep breath she _pulled_ , and wrenched it as tight as she could. Porter screamed through the belt in his mouth, teeth clenching on it tightly. Tears streamed down his face.

She buckled the belt in place and sat back on her heels, hands shaking. She felt sick. It wasn’t just the nerves causing her to shake though. With nothing between her skin and the freezing rain but a sports bra and some shorts, Raelle was really starting to feel the chill. Goosebumps prickled across her skin.

She maneuvered around to grab Porter under his shoulders and helped him sit up. Together, they managed to heave him on to his feet, with Raelle immediately ducking under his arm to help steady him. She supported his weak side, and he managed a slow limp as they started walking.

Raelle knew her dorm might be closer, but he needed medical attention _fast_ , and so decided to try to get him straight to Health Services.

The rain continued to crash down in sheets. It was brutal and unforgiving. Twice she felt Porter slipping down and stopped to slap him awake again. Each time, he shook his head and nodded, setting his face in determination and dragging onward.

Several times, as she began to tire, she stumbled or tripped over unseen hazards in the way. She scraped up her knees and hands, and felt bruises set in where she fell.

After they had been stumbling on for a while, Raelle was beginning to think they’d gotten lost or something. She was exhausted, and couldn’t carry Porter for much longer. And she knew he wasn’t doing well either, being barely able to keep himself upright.

She was focusing so hard on trying to figure out where they were that she didn’t see the sign until she slammed into it headfirst.

WHAM.

She stumbled a full two steps backwards, clutching her head as stars danced in her vision. She felt tears of exhaustion and frustration pricking at her eyes until she fully saw the sign she had run into.

Student Health Services.

She sagged in relief, and Porter _did_ start crying a little.

With the last of her strength, she helped Porter hobble up the stairs and they staggered through the double doors together, scaring the crap out of the receptionist behind the intake counter.

Things moved very quickly after that.

Porter was bundled away by quickly-summoned nurses with blankets and a gurney. Raelle was brought into an exam room as well, to explain what happened and to have her scrapes tended to. She also needed a bandage for the cut on her forehead- a parting gift from the sign outside and possibly some higher power with a wicked sense of humor.

Her dizziness and sluggishness could be attributed to exhaustion or concussion, so the nurse tending her insisted she stay the night.

Raelle was too tired to argue, and the storm still showed no sign of letting up. She caved without a fight. She barely registered the nurse saying she would tell Anacostia what had happened and where she was as she changed into some spare clothes to sleep in. She crawled into the small bed as the nurse patted her arm and told her she had done well.

She was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

~.~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, a cliffhanger! Whatever shall happen next... duh, duh, DUH!!
> 
> This week's art brought to you by my friend Gabi. Find her on Instagram at [somewilllose](https://www.instagram.com/somewilllose/?hl=en) and check out more of her amazing art and show some love!
> 
> If you or anyone you know has some good MFS art they want displayed, let me know!
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


	4. Unsettled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited string selection has arrived! (aka it's BELTANE!!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week's episode of lacrosse au is brought to you by my feelings about Raelle's suit on Beltane. That _suit _Ms. Taylor Hickson. I would like to shake the hand of everyone in the wardrobe department (socially distant, ofc).__
> 
> _  
> _My beta has made a triumphant return,[suchbeautifuldoubt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/suchbeautifuldoubt) here on AO3 and [tallycravens](https://tallycravens.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr. Welcome her back, enjoy her work, she's amazing._  
> _
> 
> _  
> _Disclaimer: I know this is not quite how admission to West Point (the top military academy in the United States, for those who don't know) works, but it's pretty close. Also cadets don't go until July, but I'm changing it a scootch. For art.__  
> 

_unsettled: players out of position_

Scylla paced back and forth in front of the Health Services building, both arms wrapped around herself. She stopped and looked at the doors, checked her watch for the fifth or tenth time, and sighed frustratedly.

_Come on, should’ve opened four minutes ago. I need to see her._

_I have to know she’s Ok._

Word had spread quickly this morning about what had happened to Raelle and Porter last night. It was shocking, or at least interesting, enough to put string selection out of the players’ minds during light drills that morning. Enough that Scylla abandoned her watch of those drills and raced for the medical building.

She glared at the door.

_Come on, I know you idiots are open. Unlock the door. Let me see my girlfriend._

Through her irritation, Scylla still felt the slight thrill of thinking of Raelle as her girlfriend. It still made her warm inside to know the other girl felt the same about her.

Well, almost the same.

Every passing day, every passing hour, Scylla was becoming more and more aware that the feelings she was developing for Raelle were deep- far deeper than a crush, or even those new-girlfriend butterflies.

She was falling in love.

Fast.

And that was terrifying.

_Stop it. Don’t think about it. You don’t have time for it._

_Also probably don’t deserve it._

_Oh so we’re just going straight there. Great._

_You’re lying to her. Betraying her. She deserves better than you._

_Well we can agree on that at least. But… Would being with her- being in love- be so bad?_

_Yes, stupid. You probably won’t even be here next semester, let alone next year. And did you already forget the deceit part? Raelle Collar can do better than you. Look at what happened last night- she’s selfless, brave, and you? Selfish and a coward._

_Shut up, the door’s opening._

And it was, finally. Even better, one of the people approaching the door was Raelle herself. Scylla promptly forgot the argument she’d been having with herself and let the relief wash over her. Raelle seemed to be Ok. Well, physically at least.

She seemed to be arguing with the woman walking next to her. As the door opened, Scylla could hear their dispute.

“-sist that you stay here a little longer. Just so we can make sure there’s no further issues. You hit your head fairly hard.”

Raelle shook the woman’s hand off her arm.

“I walked into a _sign_ . Which I already have to live down if it gets out. I am _fine_ , and I’m leaving. Thanks for the bed and the shirt.” She tugged the over-large plain t-shirt she wore that was nearly long enough to cover her shorts. The “short” sleeves went down to her elbow.

Scylla thought she looked adorable.

“Well at least let me get someone to walk you back to your dorm,” the woman- nurse?- continued. “I’ve already informed Anacostia you’re not to practice until Tuesday.”

Raelle raised her eyebrows. “You got me a day off? Sick! Thanks, boss,” she said with a light punch to the nurse’s shoulder. Then she caught sight of Scylla.

Her face lit up and she smiled widely, and Scylla tried to pretend it didn’t make her heart race or her body feel warm all over.

_Lock that down, champ. Squash it now before it gets worse._

Out loud she said, “Hi! I came to spring you. But clearly you had that handled.”

Raelle fist-pumped the air and hopped down the few steps to launch herself at Scylla, throwing her arms around her neck and planting a kiss on her cheek.

“My hero,” Raelle said before she pulled back. Keeping one arm thrown around Scylla’s shoulders, she said the nurse-person, “Ok I have an escort. Can I go now?”

The nurse shook her head and sighed, “Fine, go. _Please_ be careful and return if you have any persisting headache or nausea.”

Raelle threw her a thumbs up before heading off determinedly down the path to the barracks, towing Scylla along with her.

Once they cleared sight of the building however, Scylla stopped them. She put her hands on Raelle’s face and studied her for a moment, checking her over for her own peace of mind.

“You _are_ Ok, right?” Scylla asked, not bothering to hide the worry on her face. “Tell me you’re Ok.”

Raelle didn’t get irritated, fortunately. Her eyes softened, in fact, and she wrapped her arms around Scylla’s waist, pulling her in.

“I’m Ok, Scyl, promise. I’m not the one who got hurt, I was just exhausted.” She nudged her nose playfully against Scylla’s cheek before nuzzling into her neck. Her arms were a reassuring weight around her waist, and Scylla clung to Raelle’s shoulders tightly, holding her close.

Her heart fluttered with every feather-light kiss Raelle dusted against her neck.

“Sorry,” Scylla said. “I just heard that you were in Health Services and- I was worried.”

“Don’t apologize,” Raelle replied, brushing her lips along Scylla’s jaw. “I think it’s sweet.”

Scylla could feel Raelle’s smile against her cheek and she squeezed her eyes shut against the boiling affection in her chest.

_Abort. Abort._

She reluctantly pulled herself away from Raelle and continued walking toward her dorm, but she couldn’t resist sliding her hand into hers and lacing their fingers together.

“I’d say we should go back to your dorm instead and make up for me not showing last night,” Raelle said, smirking as Scylla shivered, “but I have this stupid luncheon to go to.”

Scylla scoffed, “You mean the luncheon where they announce strings? Yeah you should probably go to that.”

Raelle rolled her eyes. “They just feel the need to make this huge deal out of it. Whatever. It’s catered, so- good food at least.”

“Are you nervous at all?”

Raelle bumped Scylla with her shoulder. “Pff, no. Not in the least. We’re "shoo-ins for greatness", as Abigail would say. Does say. A lot.”

“Would you be disappointed if you didn’t make first string?” Scylla asked carefully.

Raelle paused before answering. Scylla sensed she was just going to give another joking answer, but now she seemed to be considering what she was going to say.

“You know, I might.” She paused again, seeming to struggle finding the right words. “I don’t… necessarily care. Not for myself. But,” she shrugged, “it means a lot to Tally and Abigail, so I guess I’d feel bad for them if we didn’t make it.”

“Well, I know how much work you put in, whyever you did it, and you should be proud,” Scylla said reassuringly. Raelle smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

They walked in silence for a bit until Raelle asked, “So… the luncheon is private, but the after party is open to the athletics department and guests.” She looked at Scylla out of the corner of her eye. “Do you… want to be my date?” she asked hopefully.

Scylla winced.

“What- well what about Anacostia?” she pointed out, scrambling for an excuse.

“Like you said, I worked hard. Especially if I make first string. I get to bring whatever date I want and she can stuff it,” Raelle replied determinedly. They stopped outside the barracks and Raelle turned to face Scylla. “Please? I want you to come. With me. As my girlfriend.”

Scylla’s heart clenched at the pleading look on Raelle’s face.

_Fuck me, I can’t do this. I can’t._

_Told you._

_Not helping._

Scylla was feeling too many emotions at once: fear, affection, uncertainty, dread, hope- the list went on. Most terrifying were the beginnings of love that she could feel spring to life in her heart. And underlying it all- cowardice. And the knowledge that she didn’t deserve the affections of the girl in front of her.

So even though her heart pleaded with her to accept the invitation- accept _Raelle_ \- she forced herself to decline.

“I- I’m sorry. I can’t. I have, um, a lot of work to get done. For class.”

The lie tasted bitter in her mouth.

The disappointment on Raelle’s face cut her like a hot knife. She hated that she put it there.

_If you think that’s bad, imagine if she finds out you’re just using her. Or if she loves you in return and you disappear like usual._

_Shut up, I am NOT just using her._

_Sure._

_I’m calling an exorcist._

Raelle nodded dejectedly, pulling Scylla out of her thoughts.

“It’s Ok, no worries. If you change your mind, the invite stands,” she said, smiling halfheartedly.

She knew she should walk away, but she couldn’t resist the pull of Raelle’s lips. Couldn’t ignore the magnetism between the two of them, pulling them ever closer together.

So when Raelle reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and pull her in for a kiss, she met her in the middle.

~.~

Raelle tried to shake off her disappointment before she stepped into her dorm room. She knew Tally would jump on it if she didn’t and she didn’t feel like sitting through that particular pep-talk-slash-therapy-session at the moment.

Regardless of what string placement she got, Raelle had been looking forward to bringing Scylla to the after party for a while. A kind of first official date kind of thing.

_Shake it off, she’s got her own work too. You can’t expect her to drop everything whenever you want to do something. That’s not fair._

Still, Raelle couldn’t help but feel that maybe Scylla was avoiding something.

_If that’s the case, I don’t know why she wouldn’t just tell me. I thought things would be different after our talk. I thought she’d be less cagey since she opened up._

_Yeah but also, that was like, yesterday. People don’t flip overnight._

_Right, right. Patience._

_Good talk._

She shook her head to clear it and pushed through the door to her shared room.

Abigail and Tally were both there. Abigail was pouring over a textbook and Tally was in front of the mirror going over two different dresses in her hands. As Raelle entered though, both stopped and looked up at her.

Tally moved first, rushing over to Raelle and pulling her into a steady hug. Raelle allowed it for a moment before wiggling out. Tally didn’t let her escape far though, holding her shoulders at arm’s length.

“Are you Ok? We heard what happened and Anacostia said you were fine but you never know-”

“Whoa, slow down, Tal. Let the girl breathe.” Abigail closed her book and hopped off her bed, coming over to join them. “You good, Shitbird? Sounded rough.”

“Yeah, I’m fine, Porter’s fine- well, he will be. It wasn’t a big deal Ok? No need to get excited,” Raelle groused.

“Hey,” Abigail said, “you know I never make a big deal about things.” That was enough to force a smile out of Raelle. “But seriously, me ‘n Tal are proud of you. Whatever you might think, it was pretty brave. What with all the bleeding and the bone breaking, you _might_ have saved his life.”

Raelle threw her hands up. “Ok enough, thank you, let’s just not go there. Thanks for not being over-dramatic like I asked ten seconds ago.” Raelle shook her head. “How do you even know all that anyway?”

Tally said, “Uh, because there’s lots of nosy people around here- not just me, thank you!- who know other nosy people and pass information like drugs. Also, this dorm leaks gossip like a sieve.”

Raelle squinted at both of them.

“What do you know about the sign?”

Abigail and Tally kept their faces carefully blank.

“Nothing!”

“What sign?”

Raelle grumbled and grabbed some Advil out of her side table. She pointed at the dresses Tally had picked back up. “So, this luncheon thing- how mandatory is it?”

Abigail had been walking back to her bed, but now quickly rounded on Raelle, mouth open, finger pointing, before Tally quickly slid in front of her.

“Do not start things when you just got back, thank you,” she said pointedly to Raelle.

Raelle smiled innocently.

Continuing, Tally said, “You are _going_ , and you are going to look _nice_ for it, because if you don’t, then me and Abigail don’t get to participate. And it’s not like it’s going to be horrible. Good food, then a huge after party!” She put on her best puppy dog eyes, which Raelle thought was entirely unfair.

“It is entirely unfair for you to make that face,” she said.

Abigail moved Tally out of her way.

“You _are_ going, and you _will_ be on time, right?” She gave Raelle a menacing stare.

“Pleeeeease?” Tally begged.

Raelle looked between the two of them and sighed, slumping against the bed support.

“Fine. But if peace in this room depends on Tally getting laid,” she cocked her head, “then she’s gonna need a better dress.”

Tally pouted while Abigail laughed in agreement.

~.~

About an hour later, the three girls stood side by side looking themselves over in the mirror. Around them, the room was now a mess, a far cry from how orderly they usually kept it (under pain of death by Abigail). It had taken some doing, but the three of them now looked quite presentable and ready for the big lunch. And of course, the big announcement.

Tally was extremely pleased with how they looked. She bounced on the balls of her feet, twirling her dress around her, while Abigail made last minute adjustments to her own dress.

_Bloodbath: averted. Unit: looking hot._

When Abigail initially had gone at Raelle with a dress in hand, the smaller girl nearly threw hands. She was enraged enough that Abigail had acquiesced without interference from Tally, a minor miracle.

Abigail _had_ stood her ground though, when it came to Raelle’s hair. After much yelling and swearing and threatening- until Tally had told them, quite firmly, to knock it off- Raelle wound up sitting in the desk chair, grumpy and arms crossed, while Abigail and Tally took her braids down and straightened her hair.

The mascara they forced on her had been a separate fight, which nearly ended in Abigail sitting on Raelle to hold her down, until finally Tally offered to write Raelle’s next paper for her.

Now, as Raelle grumbled about how she _guessed_ it looked fine, Tally slung an arm around each girl and proclaimed:

“Damn we look hot!”

_Nice, this will totally get Gerit’s attention, even though I guess I already had it, but maybe tonight it could lead to-_

The knock at the door startled each of them. They looked at each other in confusion for a moment before Raelle walked over and opened the door.

Standing there was an imposing-looking woman in some kind of military uniform whose dark complexion, dark eyes, and stiff posture all looked very familiar…

“Mom?”

The surprised exclamation came from Abigail, who moved past Tally to stand in front of this woman- who apparently was her mother.

“Hello Abigail, I hope you don’t mind me dropping in like this,” came a monotone reply. Tally looked uneasily between Abigail, who seemed uncharacteristically out of sorts, and Raelle, who stood just behind Abigail’s mother wearing a bewildered expression.

“Of- of course not. Oh, um,” she turned, “guys this is my mother, General Petra Bellweather. Mom, this is Tally and Raelle, my Unit mates.” She gestured to everyone in turn.

“Pleasure to meet you, girls,” Petra said, nodding to them.

“Nice to meet you too Ms.- I mean, General? Bellweather,” Tally stumbled out. Raelle simply nodded, coming around to stand next to Tally.

“What are you doing here, Mom? Did we have an appointment?” Abigail asked.

_Appointment? What?_

“No, no, I was just visiting with Sarah- your Dean,” she added when Raelle and Tally looked confused, “and I thought I’d stop by.” She scanned the messy room. “I seem to have caught you at a bad time though,” she said critically.

Tally was disconcerted to see Abigail flush with shame.

“We usually have a higher standard of cleanliness in here, of course. We’re just getting ready for the luncheon. And string selection.”

“Of course.” Monotone again. “And how do you think the selection will go?”

“Without a hitch. We’re the best Unit out of _all_ the program’s Freshmen, and better than some of the upperclassmen too,” Abigail said proudly.

“Well, I should hope so.”

Abigail’s pride visibly deflated and Raelle and Tally shared a look.

Unexpectedly, Raelle spoke in Abigail’s defense, saying, “Abigail works really hard. And she’s a good leader on the field.” Abigail looked shocked at her words.

“Yeah!” Tally added. “She’s great and pushes us to be better too,” she said, smiling at her roommate.

“Well,” Petra said, perhaps not prepared for such an enthusiastic defense, “that is good to hear. I look forward to getting the good news later.” Petra resettled her stance, locking her hands behind her. “Now, the other reason I came down, Abigail, is to tell you that your cousin is getting married in a month-”

“Really? Charvel is? Finally!” Abigail said excitedly, before quickly composing herself. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Petra looked at her sternly before continuing, “Yes, Charvel. Now, a friend of mine- a General I once served with- has agreed to be your sponsor to West Point. She and a recruiter are going to be in attendance and I’ve arranged for you to meet with them about your admission.”

Abigail stood a little straighter.

“Yes ma’am.”

Petra looked Tally and Raelle over before adding, “Your Unit mates may come as well. Since they speak so highly of you, it will be a good demonstration of your leadership abilities.”

Abigail winced. “I don’t- I don’t think that’s a good idea. They’re not really… high class,” she said with an apologetic shrug at the two girls. “They’re not really up to speed on things.”

Petra fixed her with a disapproving look. “Then get them up to speed. I expect to see all three of you there, looking sharp. You’ll have to send me their measurements. Understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” Abigail replied.

Petra nodded sharply and departed.

It was silent for a long moment while Raelle and Tally stared at each other and Abigail stared out the door.

“Measurements…?” Raelle questioned.

“Abs, you Ok?” Tally asked, reaching a hand out.

Abigail shoved it away, rounding on them.

“Yes, measurements. High Atlantic tradition, the women wear blue suits, the men wear beige, if they’re not in uniform. Look, you guys have to come, but you don’t have to talk. _Please_ don’t talk.” She palmed her forehead. “Fucking hell, how am I supposed to get _you_ two ready for a High Atlantic function?”

“Uh, are we still not supposed to be offended?” Raelle said. “Also, who says we’re going?”

“We’ll go,” Tally interjected, before Abigail’s already frayed nerves could snap. “Rae, Abby helped us get ready for lacrosse stuff, we can help her with this.”

Abigail looked grateful.

Raelle looked incredulous.

Tally realized she had just learned more about Abigail in the past five minutes than she had in the past month she’d known her. She didn’t like it.

Turning to Abigail, Tally asked, “You Ok though? Your mom’s kind of-”

“Yeah, I know,” Abigail cut her off. “It’s fine. Let’s just- let’s just go.” She checked herself over one last time before heading out the door.

Raelle and Tally watched her go.

“Well,” Raelle said sarcastically, “I didn’t think I would ever meet anyone more uptight than Abigail, yet here we are.” She looked at Tally. “Think it’s genetic?”

“No, Rae,” Tally said scornfully, “I think it’s environmental.” She grabbed the rest of their things and started herding Raelle out the door. “And don’t even _think_ about fighting me on this wedding thing. She needs our support, so we’re going, and that’s that.”

And that was that.

~.~

The gardens were stunning. More so than usual, given all the extra decoration hung in the trees and laid along the pathways. The air was humming with excitement as a crowd of people began to arrive. Athletics students, looking like a field of butterflies in colorful dresses and suits, spread throughout the venue, claiming their teams’ tables before mixing with each other to mingle before things started.

At the center of everything was a small, round platform, from which various people would make various speeches and say many inspirational and symbolic things. They would congratulate the girls on their accomplishments so far, and wish them luck in the official first games of the season, which would be occurring over the next two weeks.

At each table, behind each chair, was a duffel bag. Each duffel was an official Salem University athletic bag, tailored to each sport and embroidered with a player’s name. During the pre-lunch mix and mingle, eyes constantly shifted to these bags, the students dying to see what theirs contained.

Generally, each bag would contain a single item: an official team jersey in rich navy blue, with white lettering. But there were two possible variations: On each team, one or two players would also find a Captain’s armband. Second, however, was a jersey variation.

First string jerseys would be bordered in gold.

Raelle found herself staring at a bag with the word COLLAR embroidered on it, and shook herself to snap out of her reverie.

_Don’t drive yourself nuts wondering. You don’t even care that much, remember? You’ll know one way or the other soon enough._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of one of the male lacrosse players at the little drinks table she had staked out. He was tall and skinny, with dark floppy hair that was well-styled, much like his vibrant purple suit. He had two drinks in his hands, one of which he offered to her.

“You look like you want to be here about as much as I do,” he said. “I’m Byron.”

She nodded brusquely. “Raelle.”

“Wanna share a drink? We can pretend we’re somewhere else.”

She stared at him mockingly. “Sorry, do you not sense my ‘I’m not into guys’ vibes?”

He chuckled, “Oh, I sensed them. Do you not sense my ‘I’m not into girls’ vibes?”

_Oh._

She paused and then nodded, accepting the drink.

“Ok, fair game then.”

They each took a sip before Byron said, “Actually, I also wanted to talk to you. To thank you, really.” At Raelle’s quizzical look he added, “You saved my friend. Porter.”

She held a hand up. “No, look, it wasn’t that big, Ok? I wish people would just drop it. Jeez, even _Anacostia_ said she was proud of me. I’m still in shock.”

He laughed again, “Ok, Ok, fair enough. _Thank you,_ regardless of what you say. He also passes on his gratitude, but I won’t tell you that. Out of respect for our new friendship.”

She rolled her eyes.

They talked for a few more minutes, which consisted of many more eye-rolls from Raelle, but overall she found his chipper attitude, which should’ve annoyed her, strangely endearing.

_Must be alcohol in this drink. That was nice of him._

Eventually they parted once everyone was called to their tables.

The air buzzed with energy and chatter, until finally Anacostia took to the little stage and cleared her throat.

She surveyed the students with a calm eye.

“Let’s begin.”

~.~

Each team had its own little traditions for the official start to the season.

For the lacrosse team, it was the receiving of their official sticks. The men’s team would have obtained these first, and gone over them to make sure they were strung properly, the pockets were the right depth, etc. They would also wrap the sticks in tape themselves, to match. Then each member of the men’s team would present a stick to a member of the women’s team.

Tally blushed and giggled at Gerit’s request to think of him when she used the stick he presented her with. Abigail rolled her eyes as Clive and Augustin argued over who would give their stick to her; she got a laugh from Raelle when she accepted one from a different boy entirely. When it was Raelle’s turn, she saw it was Byron who gave her a stick and poked her tongue out at him. He just winked and stepped back.

After all the traditions were seen to, the lunch began properly.

Food was brought to the tables, and the teams talked among themselves animatedly. The anticipation was palpable, and the energy levels only rose higher once coaches, Alder, and other important persons took the stage one by one to deliver their speeches.

Finally, the speeches came to an end, empty dishes were cleared away, and Anacostia once again took the stage. The students were nearly vibrating in their seats. Glory and Raelle shared pained looks as their fingers were being near-crushed by Tally.

One by one, each table picked up their duffels and opened them. What followed was several minutes of cheering, shocked gasps, and more than a few tears- the happy and sad kinds. Until finally, it came to the lacrosse table.

Tally was hugging Glory so hard in anticipation she practically had the smaller girl in her lap. Abigail sat ramrod straight, stiff and sweating. Raelle tried to appear calm, but her leg was bouncing under the table. Libba looked confident.

Anacostia approached their table and looked them all over. The hint of a smile crossed her lips.

“I am very proud of all of you,” she said, and nodded.

There was a scramble as duffels were yanked into laps and zippers whipped open.

A split second of silence, and then…

Before she heard Tally’s scream of excitement, or registered Abigail victoriously pounding the table-

Raelle saw inside her bag, peeking out at her, navy blue bordered in gold.

~.~

The after party was in full swing by the time the Bellweather Unit rolled in together.

They had spent, in Raelle’s opinion, an _absurd_ amount of time admiring their first string jerseys and trying them on and taking pictures. Tally had then been shocked by her mom actually calling to congratulate the three of them; Abigail and Raelle had both wrapped a supportive arm around Tally when she teared up. Abigail declined to share her mother’s response, but she seemed to lean in to Tally’s hug a little heavily.

After some prodding, Raelle had also agreed to call her dad on speaker, even though it was late, and deliver the good news. Edwin was incredibly proud and showed it, getting a bit emotional as he congratulated her and said he missed her, and especially when he said her mother would have been proud. Afterward, she accepted a head kiss from Tally, but vehemently denied crying at all as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Now, however, they had arrived at the main event, still dressed in the same outfits as earlier, and they were ready to celebrate alongside everyone else.

Fort Salem was rocking, with the main lights low but still illuminated by fairy lights strung up everywhere. Music pounded from the speakers on the wall and students writhed together on the dance floor. Despite being a dry campus, alcohol had been smuggled in and several people had clearly wasted no time getting into it. Outside, in a gated courtyard area, there was a pool and barbecue area where the party carried on, with more food and drinks.

Even Glory had come out tonight, despite not being the biggest fan of large crowds of people. She spotted the girls as they came in and jogged over.

“Hey! You made it! Here and the team,” she said, laughing. She hugged Tally tightly and pulled back, leaving her arms around her friend.

Tally gave her a concerned look. “You sure you’re Ok, Glory? You don’t have to be here if you’re uncomfortable. Or if, you know, you don’t feel like partying right now…” She trailed off uncertainly.

Glory smiled reassuringly at her. “It’s Ok, Tal, really. I didn’t really think I’d make first string my first year. We can’t all be powerhouses like the Bellweather Unit,” she added with a wink at Abigail. “I’m still on the team, I still get to travel and practice with you, and I’ll get _some_ playing time. I’m happy for you guys though!”

Tally smiled warmly at her friend and leaned down to kiss her cheek. Even in the dim lighting, Raelle saw Glory blush. She caught the girl’s eye and winked at her, which only made her blush more.

Glory went back to a couch where she had been talking to some other girls, while Abigail pulled Tally onto the dance floor. They quickly merged with the shifting mass of bodies, swaying in time to the pounding beat. 

Left alone, Raelle once again found her thoughts drifting toward Scylla.

 _I wish she could’ve come. Maybe I can slip out and go see her? No, no, she’s working. Gotta respect the space. And if she_ is _avoiding something, gotta respect that too. I trust her._

Then she spotted a familiar purple suit come through the door, and she smiled to herself.

 _Alright, maybe this night won’t_ totally _suck._

~.~

The night dragged on, as did the party, yet Raelle found herself enjoying her time with Byron. They were interrupted twice: once when Abigail came over (followed by Clive and Augustin) to tell Raelle to stay out of the room for a while, and once when Gerit came over (followed by a blushing Tally who would _not_ meet Raelle’s eyes) to ask the same of Byron. Both times Raelle and Byron gave their blessing, only to roll their eyes at each other once the intruders had left.

There was no shortage of… questionable activity happening on the dance floor and other couches as well, and even outside. Raelle was pretty sure she saw Glory slip out with one (or maybe both) of the girls she had been talking to earlier.

Eventually, Raelle and Byron moved outside and planted themselves in the grass between two large bushes on the edge of the courtyard. They lay there and watched the sky, contemplating the lives of their straight friends.

“For the record,” Raelle stated, “this is why I’m in to girls.”

“I’m sorry, I just don’t see the appeal.”

“Your loss, dude.”

They both laughed before lapsing into a comfortable silence.

“Hey,” Raelle started, “can I ask you a question?”

“Hm?”

“Have you… ever been in love?”

“Oh at least once a week,” Byron said sarcastically. “Why?”

“Well, there’s this girl-”

“Boring.”

“Shut up, butthead. Let me finish,” Raelle said, elbowing him none too gently.

“So this girl. Sometimes, I think she really likes me. Like, more than just ‘like’. It’s in the way she smiles at me or looks at me when she thinks I don’t see her. And when we agreed we wanted to be serious- not just a fling- she was happy! I know she was.”

“This is gross. Then what?” Byron turned on his side, facing Raelle, and propped his head up on his fist.

Raelle sighed and rubbed her eyes. “I don’t know. Recently she opened up to me, but I still feel like she’s hiding a lot. And I don’t know if she’s afraid of something, or doesn’t trust me, or what. But…,” she sighed heavily, “I don’t know. I’m not sure how hard to push, I guess. I want her to know that I’m here for her, and that she _can_ trust me, but I don’t want to push her to do or say anything she’s not ready for.”

“Hmmm.” Byron lay back again, thinking. Raelle had been half-expecting another sarcastic response from him, but she was happy to see he seemed to be considering her question seriously.

“Well,” he began, “let me ask you this first: how do you feel about her? Do you love her?”

Raelle froze.

_Do I love her? I mean, I definitely have really strong feelings. Is this love? Can it be, this fast? Do I want it to be? Shit._

She stammered, “I- I don’t know. I mean, I care about her… maybe?” She sighed. “I don’t know, man.”

Byron chuckled. “Look, don’t hurt yourself thinking about it,” He said, quickly defending himself from her punch. 

He resettled in the grass and mused, “I suppose, it’s all just things that come with any relationship, you know? If you love someone, these are just things you put up with, and work through. And it _is_ work, of a sort. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. Probably pretty worth it, in the end, if those dumb rom-coms are anything to go by.” They both laughed at that. After a short pause, he finished, “I suppose, it depends on how much you care about her, and if you decide she’s worth that work to hang on to.”

They fell silent after that, Byron leaving Raelle to her thoughts. She never replied, but shuffled over to press her arm against his in thanks. They stayed there, watching the stars, until they both drifted off.

~.~

The early morning silence was _shattered_ by the sound of a bullhorn, and Anacostia bellowing through it.

“Wake UP ladies and gentlemen, let’s go, everybody up, clear out!”

Students began to rise from the couches and chairs and wherever else they had fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning, groaning and wincing as they rose and stretched. More than one lost the fight against their stomachs (the shouting definitely didn’t help) and ran for the nearest trash can.

“If you throw it up, clean it up! Let’s GO ladies, sober up! You still have classes today and practice this evening,” Anacostia’s voice was still belting out from the bullhorn as she made her way through the clubhouse and around it, rousting players and students from their various states of “rest.” “Gentlemen,” she continued, “Thank you for coming but it is time to say your goodbyes. Buses leave in one hour! Be on them!”

Raelle and Byron shot up from where they had fallen asleep between some bushes, slamming their heads together painfully. They swore vigorously as they dragged themselves out and straightened up as best they could, helping to dust each other off.

Raelle blinked several times in the early morning light, trying to get her bearings.

“Oh no,” Byron said next to her. He was looking at her with mock horror. “Did we sleep together last night?”

“Shut up, idiot,” she said, punching his shoulder. He just laughed as they started making their way through the clubhouse. It was pretty impressively wrecked and Raelle was pretty sure that all team practices that day would involve cleaning up. Happily, she remembered that she had the day off, as per the nurse’s orders.

Out front, she turned to her new friend. The buses were in the opposite direction of the dorms, and she knew he needed to go get his stuff first before leaving. She was surprised to realize she would miss him.

He didn’t have to know that though.

“I’ll see you around, yeah?” she said.

He smiled and pulled her into a hug.

“Of course you will. You’ll find I’m quite impossible to get rid of.”

She wriggled free and rolled her eyes, “Fantastic. Another Tally.”

“Nah, she’s way more high energy than me. You’re welcome.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out what looked like a folded note. “Here, this is from Porter. He asked me to give it to you, since he’s still laid up.” He put a hand on your shoulder. “You know, from what I’ve seen so far, you cut yourself short a lot. You shouldn’t. I think you have a lot more to offer than you care to admit.” 

She didn’t respond, so he smiled and turned away.

“You owe me a copy of those Codices!” she shouted at his back. He sent her a thumbs up over his shoulder as he ambled away.

She unfolded the note in her hands and read it:

_Hey. I didn’t get the chance to really thank you for helping me. The doc said you hightailed it out first thing. Don’t blame you. I’ll do the same once, you know, I can walk. But anyway, thanks. Also thanks for putting up with Byron while I’m down, saved me twice, haha._

_Also… I’m sorry for the things I said earlier. I shouldn’t have interfered. I realize now Scylla’s not the girl I remembered, but I think that’s a good thing. She seems… happy around you. Different but good different. When she talks to you, her eyes don’t dart around like she’s looking for the exit. And when she talks_ about _you, she lights up._

_I was wrong, and I’m sorry. I still care about her, as a friend, and I’m glad she has someone she trusts. That’s important. You’re good people, Raelle, and I think Scylla knows it. I know I do._

_Thanks again,_

_Porter._

Raelle sat on a bench in front of the clubhouse and reread the note several times. Then she leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes.

She had a lot to think about.

~.~

Later, as she was passing by the gardens heading back to the barracks, Raelle spotted a familiar figure waiting underneath their tree. Her heart leapt in her chest and she couldn’t help but smile as Scylla stood and waved at her.

She jogged over, but when she got to Scylla she couldn’t contain herself and threw herself at her girlfriend, lifting her off the ground in a hug. Scylla’s laugh rang through the trees like bells- music to Raelle’s ears.

She set her down but didn’t let her go, instead leaning in to press their lips together. Scylla met her warmly, giggling into the kiss.

When they separated Scylla said, “I knew you’d make it. I’m so proud of you, Raelle.” Her eyes were shining with pride and happiness, and Raelle couldn’t help but kiss her again.

“It’s whatever, you know, not a big deal.” She tried to play it off, but her excitement was plain for both of them to see.

Scylla pulled them further in the shade of the tree, out of the way of the path.

“I wanted to talk to you, actually. About yesterday. Why I didn’t come,” Scylla said, looking at Raelle nervously. She clearly expected an angry response for admitting she had been avoiding Raelle and the party.

But Raelle said, “Hey, it’s Ok, you don’t have t-”

“No, wait,” Scylla said, cutting her off. She wrung her hands nervously. “Don’t say anything, Ok? I just need to get this out of me before I freak out and shut down and run away.”

Raelle nodded, rubbing her arm comfortingly. Scylla took a deep, steadying breath.

“I like you, Ok? I have feelings for you, really- really strong feelings. They’re not… something I’m used to having- not something I’m used to dealing with. It’s scary- for me. I’ve moved around my whole life, even more after my parents died. Which means: no attachments. Because I go away, I disappear. But you- I want to stay. For you. I haven’t learned to get past this, but I’m trying. I don’t know if-”

Raelle cut her off with a short kiss. While Scylla had been speaking, Raelle’s heart had begun to swell with emotion, until it burst and filled her with warmth, spreading across her entire body.

She pulled away just enough to rest her forehead against Scylla’s, cradling the girl’s face in her hands. She could feel Scylla trembling, and a tear slipped down the other girl’s cheek.

Softly, Raelle said, “I’m in this with you. We’re going to figure it out together, Ok?” She felt Scylla nod; saw her chin quiver with suppressed emotion. “Whoever you are- whoever you were- I’m in.” She tucked a strand of hair behind Scylla’s ear, caressing the side of her face gently and wiping away another stray tear. Scylla’s hands clutched at her waist, as though she thought Raelle would disappear. “No matter what happens, no matter what anybody thinks-” she brushed her nose against Scylla’s, breathing her promise against her lips-

“-I’m in.”

Raelle kissed her again, slow and sweet, sliding their lips together easily. She felt more of Scylla’s tears on her cheeks and she held her tightly, trying to convey everything she was thinking and feeling with that one motion:

_I’ve got you, you’re safe, I’m not going anywhere, I promise._

Over and over these thoughts ran through her head as she projected them through her kiss. When they parted for air, Raelle drew her back only moments later to kiss her again, making her arms strong and steady around Scylla, so she could prove she could hold her up and protect her. Support her.

Raelle’s mind was clear now: she was falling in love fast, and it wasn’t so daunting anymore.

~.~

Back in her room, Scylla was giddy. Her face was still flushed and her heart was still thrumming from her earlier meeting with Raelle.

_I did it. I told her how I felt. And it was Ok! I think she feels the same._

_And the rest? The lies, the leaving?_

_I’ll fight to stay here. I’ll find a way._

_And the lies?_

Scylla didn’t have a response for that.

Her contact did, however. A voicemail was waiting.

_Scylla. We received your reports on the results of string selection. Well done. No contact for a while. Your assignment now is to gather more information. Use your connection for access. Next, get yourself to the Bellweather wedding. An upper class function that large and nearby is a good place for an in-person hand-off. You bring your information, and a contact will wire the next semester’s tuition. A deal is a deal._

Scylla squeezed her eyes shut, clenching the phone in her hand. All at once, doubt and dread and uncertainty welled up inside her, burning away the last of the good feelings she had leftover.

_I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to betray her. Or use her._

_You don’t have a choice. Forget the money- they’ll throw you to the cops if you back out now._

_I can’t-_

_Too late now._

Scylla sank to the floor with her back pressed against her bed. The stress was too much; she couldn’t handle it all at once. Sat there and held her head and rocked against her bed frame.

And for the second time that day, she cried.

~.~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know when Scylla's inner voice became its own character, but here we are. Meanwhile, Raelle is vibin' with hers.  
> Yes I copied that garden conversation almost word for word, I could never do better than it already was, and YES Glory did leave the Reel on Beltane with TWO other girls. You can check. We stan a legend.
> 
> Today's stunning art is brought to you by [@kalvzr](https://twitter.com/kalvzr) and [@INKrediblyS](https://twitter.com/INKrediblyS). This is the second part of their collaboration, the first of which can be in Chapter Two of this story. If you or anyone you know has some good MFS art they'd like displayed (with full credit, of course) let me know!
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


	5. Fast Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the Bellweather/High Atlantic social event of the season!
> 
> How bad can a wedding be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HALFWAYYYY!!! :D I can't believe we're halfway done with this mess. I'm hype y'all.
> 
> Okay time for the Bellweather wedding aka The Last Time Anyone Was Ever Happy Including Me.
> 
> My wonderful beta [tallycravens](https://tallycravens.tumblr.com/) was "spending time with girlfriend" or whatever, thus abandoned me. So, all mistakes are mine, yolo.
> 
> Disclaimer: sad.

_fast break: moving the ball quickly to gain advantage_

Anacostia was impressed.

In the weeks since string selection, her lacrosse players had continued to improve, both individually and as a team. They were in good shape, they were strong, they were fast, and they were fierce.

And when the first game came along, they were ready.

It was a solid victory, when all was said and done. Usually, the first game could be a bit shaky as the girls, especially the new ones, found their footing, but that was not the case. The team swept onto the field, howling- all Storm. And they charged the other team, relentless, while _they_ found their footing- all Fury.

She was particularly impressed with the Freshmen. 

She’d never had six Freshmen on the first string before. It was partially due to the Unit strategy she had put in place this year that brought half the first string roster to first years. Still, it was remarkable that two such Freshman units made it.

All of the girls, regardless of year, worked well together. They were communicative, and they trusted each other’s skills and abilities. There were no gaps or weak points in the lines because the girls filled them on their own, without getting in each other’s way.

The lone sour point was Abigail Bellweather and Libba Swythe.

Anacostia knew going in that they were both extremely talented and competitive, with strong personalities and leadership abilities. They had been raised by families who demanded such things from them, and who had the money and connections to make it so. Each girl, on her own and within her own Unit, was a powerhouse.

On the field it was a different story.

They were _too_ strong-headed, often clashing and giving conflicting directions. As attackers, they should direct the flow of action, and press the opposing defense and apply pressure. But they often got in each other’s way, either trying to outdo the other or trying to change the flow of the game to fit their personal style.

Abigail was all power and forward momentum. Libba was about precision.

Anacostia wished they could see they needed both.

She had two captains for this team: one was in the crease, watching the entire field and directing the defenders, and the other was the third attacker. Anacostia had faith in her leadership abilities and technical play skill, but even this senior was no match for the generations-long blood feud between the Bellweather and Swythe families.

During half-time, she pulled them aside and told them in no uncertain terms to get their shit together by the next game. She knew it would only make them even more enraged at each other, but she hoped with time to cool off they would come to realize this family feud was absurd and not a tradition worth carrying.

If not, she would redraw the roster. There was no room on a championship team for high school drama.

It was interesting to note, however, that where Abigail used brute strength and force on the field and Libba was more precise and flexible, they were the opposite with their units. 

Libba led her Unit with an iron fist. She had a plan and she laid it out and did not accept any deviation. Her Unit mates followed her lead and followed it well. She was supportive and encouraging when needed, and harsh and corrective when she deemed their performance sub-par.

Abigail had realized quickly she could _not_ use the same approach with her Unit. Craven and Collar could be just as stubborn as the Bellweather (as Anacostia’s headaches could attest to), and trying to strong-arm them would never work. So Abigail had been forced to adopt a new strategy, one which required a little more finesse and compromise.

Anacostia saw that they were formidable players, and could be even more so as a pair if they would just pull their heads out of their asses.

Aside from this hiccup, the game went phenomenally well, and they returned to campus to a sea of cheers and chanting. (Anacostia was in a good enough mood that she pretended she didn’t see Collar sneaking off with the Bio-nuisance halfway through the victory dinner).

In the following weeks, the first game win became a win streak. The players continued to improve; even the Bellweather/Swythe situation found a tentative middle ground. Tally, to Anacostia’s surprise, had stepped in on that matter. She told both girls quite firmly to keep to their sides of the grass and save their issues for off the field. Anacostia would still have preferred less animosity between the two attackers, but it was an improvement, and she quietly toasted that Craven girl at the victory dinner that night.

All in all, it was a solid start to the season, and Anacostia was impressed.

But she didn’t have to tell the girls that.

No reason to get sappy.

~.~

Three garment bags were waiting in the room that Saturday after their third straight win. Abigail swept into the room after practice, riding the high of a good workout, with Tally close behind piggy-backing a half asleep Raelle.

“That was a _solid_ performance, you guys. Anacostia was impressed, I could tell,” Abigail said, dropping her and Raelle’s bags. Tally deposited her burden gracelessly onto the floor, ignoring the grunts of protest.

“Yeah!” she agreed, nudging Raelle with her toe. “We could probably be the best Unit on the team by the end of the season!”

“That’s what I’ve been saying this whole time! See? A little effort and we are all headed for the top,” Abigail crowed, choosing to ignore the eye-roll from Raelle.

_Rocky start, yes, but I’d say we’re certainly in better position now than we were pre-season._

Raelle picked herself up, saying, “Dude we’re already made first string, can we take it down a notch? Let’s just-” 

Abigail, already about to lay into Raelle about not slacking off, paused to see why she had trailed off.

“-The fuck is on my bed?” Raelle said, pulling her curtain back.

Abigail helpfully pulled it down so she and Tally could see.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, speaking over Raelle’s insults, “It’s the suits for the wedding next weekend. My mom must have had them dropped off.”

Tally squealed excitedly, “Oh, I wanna see mine!!” 

She scooped up the one labeled ‘T. Craven’ and drew down the zipper, while Abigail simply hung hers from the hook on the bathroom door. She already knew what it would look like, and with her mother in charge, the fit would be perfect to the centimeter.

While Tally ooh’d and ahh’d over hers, Raelle just looked back and forth between her two roommates. 

“So… we’re just totally fine with however these got _in_ here? That’s not raising any flags for anyone? No? Just me? Cool, cool.” She refrained, however, from touching the bag.

Abigail stared her down, daring her to protest attending the wedding or wearing the suit. She had been surprised over the past few weeks that Raelle hadn’t brought it up again, but she was still prepared for a last-minute ditch attempt.

“So… about this wedding thing,” Raelle began, sitting on her bed.

_Here we fucking go._

Raelle shuffled a bit, glancing around.

“I was thinking,” she said, not looking at Abigail, “it could be a good idea if I brought Scylla.”

_That’s… not even remotely what I thought she would say._

_Also, absolutely not._

“Absolutely not, what’s wrong with you? You can’t bring a guest when you’re _my_ guest,” Abigail said incredulously.

_Stay calm, stay calm, hopefully this is just some lame joke, or she really thinks that’s an okay thing to do. Who knows what they do where she’s from._

Raelle scoffed. “Well you’re the one who wants me out of the way. Scylla would be a distraction so no one accidentally talks to the Southern trash. You should _want_ her there. To keep me busy and out of the way,” she said bitterly.

“I said, ‘no’, Shitbird. Clean your ears. It’ll be hard enough keeping you and Tally in line around my family, without another mess to add to the mix.

She watched Raelle stare at the garment bag. The tell-tale signs of anger were spreading over her face. Her brow furrowed, her mouth twisted- all tells Abigail had learned to read by now. If Tally hadn’t been preoccupied with admiring her suit, she would’ve seen the brewing outburst, and stepped in to diffuse it.

Raelle looked up finally, meeting Abigail’s eyes glare for glare.

_Here it comes._

“You know, I wouldn’t want to embarrass you or anything, Abigail,” Raelle began, “so I would understand if you didn’t want me to go. I’d happily stay here.”

Abigail kept her voice level, hoping this would be a weak attempt to bail.

“You’re going. We’re all going. You’ll wear the suit, look the part, _don’t_ speak or I _will_ cut your tongue out, eat some food, and then we leave. Easy enough even you can handle it.”

_Ah, a little more forceful than I intended._

_Oh well._

Raelle’s eyes narrowed. Tally finally registered the brewing fight and whirled around, but it was too late.

“Fuck you and your privilege, Bellweather. Please, tell me more about how much better you are, the high and mighty, coming from the upper class, looking down on us mere mortals who dare breathe the same air.”

Tally tried to step in but Abigail blocked her, planting herself in front of Raelle to use her height to her advantage.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it. This is an important day, and I don’t want your Shitbird-ness screwing it up. You never put effort into your appearance or speech or how others perceive you, so why should I think you’d even be capable of it! Besides, you don’t even _want_ to participate, so why does it matter if I want you to stand in the background and be quiet.”

She was startled by the tears of rage in Raelle’s eyes but didn’t let it show.

She _did_ let her surprise show when Raelle suddenly shoved her hard enough that she fell backward onto her bed.

Instead of yelling more, however, Raelle said quietly, “You’re not better than anyone, Bellweather, you just pretend to be. Tally says we’re doing this wedding thing for you, but I can’t for the life of me figure out why.”

She reached into her side table, pulled out a small wooden box, and stormed out of the room, shoving through the small crowd that had formed.

_Unbelievable. What the fuck is her problem?! She better get it together before next weekend._

Tally quietly closed the door, shooing people away. She stood there for a moment, leaning her head against the wood.

_Even Tally’s tired of that girl’s shit. I don’t blame her. I thought she was shaping up more, but I guess not._

Finally Tally took a deep breath and turned, and Abigail was stunned to see tears in her eyes as well.

“I’m getting real tired of your shit, Abs,” she said, to Abigail’s absolute shock. “I realize that you have been raised in a world where you have to act a very specific way, and do very specific things. You have to go to a certain school, and have a certain education, and a certain career, and so on.

And I know you _hate_ it.

But you shove that hate down so deep that it doubles back on you and projects onto _everyone_ around you. Yes, everyone. Don’t think I didn’t hear that remark about keeping me in line too.” Abigail was lost for words, but that was fine.

Tally wasn’t even close to done.

“Raelle doesn’t even slightly care about what people think of her, because the values she holds important are wildly different from the values of the High Atlantics. She doesn’t feel sorry for herself or want anyone else to; she knows everyone is dealt a different hand in life and class and privilege are a part of it. But she still has concerns about being surrounded by the kind of people who despise her- there’s no hiding her drawl- and instead of reassuring her, you told her those concerns were stupid, and not worthy of your time. 

Her wanting to bring Scylla is _not_ about making things more difficult for you- it’s really not about you at all, not everything is, you know- it’s about having someone there who’s on her level. Because she knows it won’t be you.”

Abigail tried to speak but Tally held her hand up.

“No, still not done. One more thing- about your privilege. Now, I don’t one hundred percent hold you responsible- it’s the world you grew up in and you’ve never known anything else. But I encourage you to try some exercises in seeing things from other people’s perspectives. Believe it or not, Raelle and I- and others, for that matter- are not out to make things difficult for you. Most people are just trying to live their lives like normal.

But you don’t understand what that looks like because you’ve never entertained the idea of having your own life. 

It’s ironic, really, that you think anyone who doesn’t do things your way is doing it wrong, because you’ve never done anything ‘your way’ in your life. It’s your mother’s way. And you know it. And that’s why Raelle gets under your skin- she’s living her own life however she wants, and you aren’t.”

Tally finished and kissed Abigail on the top of her head. She grabbed her shower things and some overnight stuff, shoved it all in her duffel, and headed towards the door.

Turning back, she said, “If you decide you want to understand Raelle a little more, do this: put her clothes out next to yours. Look at the difference between worlds. Between the patch jobs and the new price tags.” Heading out the door, she tossed some final words over her shoulder:

“Try not to manhandle her cleats. They’re held together with duct tape.”

~.~

Raelle managed to calm herself down by the time she reached the garden. By the time she reached their tree, she had put Abigail and her self-centeredness out of her mind.

And when she saw Scylla waiting, her irritation evaporated, replaced by a gross, warm and fuzzy feeling.

More and more each day, she was realizing her feelings for Scylla went incredibly deep. She had left ‘crush’ far behind and was hurtling towards ‘love’. 

She wasn’t even a little bit ready to admit that, but she had to express herself _somehow_ or she felt like her chest would explode. Words were never her strong suit, so she hoped what she came up with instead would suffice.

She reached Scylla and pulled her into a tight hug. If she held it a little longer than usual, Scylla didn’t say anything. Nor did she say anything about the box in her hand. She kissed Scylla’s cheek and laced their fingers together, leading them off deeper into the gardens.

They talked for a bit about nothing in particular, just enjoying each other’s company and the cool weather. They had switched to walking with an arm around each other to stave off the October chill.

Raelle had her face pressed into Scylla’s hair, listening intently to her explanation of something that sounded plant-related. A lot of things Scylla talked about went over Raelle’s head, but she always listened closely, enchanted by the excitement and passion with which Scylla talked about them.

“You know,” Raelle said, “I don’t see why you’re so focused on human biology. I know you said you liked to see what made people tick-”

“Aww, you listen to me?”

“Shush,” she said, kissing her cheek. “You clearly enjoy the whole ‘plants and funguses’ thing more. You talk about it more, for sure,” she added, ignoring Scylla’s glare.

“Fun _gi_ , Raelle.”

“Right, that’s what I said,” she replied with a pat on Scylla’s head. “So why isn’t that your major?”

Scylla sighed, “I don’t know.” She twisted her hands together then blurted out, “I’d probably find more success career-wise as a biologist rather than a botanist or whatever and I’m sure my parents wanted me to be successful.”

Raelle stopped walking and looked at her. She squinted, tilting her head.

“Scyl, I’m sure they also wanted you to be happy. They seem like they were really good people, from what you’ve told me. So I feel like they’d want you to be happy more than successful,” she said carefully. She wasn’t sure how much she could say on the subject without upsetting Scylla, or possibly commenting on what wasn’t her business. Scylla didn’t respond, so to lighten the mood she added, “Besides, whose idea of success are we talking about here? Miss me with that capitalist bullshit. Way I see it- if you’re happy with what you’re doing, you win.”

She was relieved when Scylla laughed at that, and they continued walking.

After a moment, Scylla said, “You’re right, probably.”

“Always.”

“Shush. My parents- they would want me to do whatever makes me happy.”

Raelle smiled and tightened the arm around Scylla’s shoulders. 

“Of course! So would I, if that’s worth anything,” she said. “Do you just wanna get out of here? Out of this whole dumb college thing that is _way_ over-priced? You be a florist, and I’ll be, I dunno, a tattoo artist or something.”

Scylla laughed again. “Can you even draw?”

“Who cares, tattoo artists are cool. Maybe I’ll be, like, an EMT on the side or something, who knows, the world is open!” she joked, throwing her arms out dramatically.

She yelped in surprise as Scylla scooped her up bridal-style and spun her around, laughing.

“We’ll live on the beach, leave your jersey hanging on the door. Tell the birds to sing our goodbyes,” she said before putting Raelle down.

They laughed loudly, leaning against each other.

_I’d do it. Holy shit, I think I’d really do it. Run away with her if she asked._

It was a startling realization, and Raelle decided to quickly change the subject.

They had come full circle and were now back under their tree. She brought the box that she had been carrying between them and drummed her fingers on it nervously. She looked up to find Scylla watching her, waiting patiently for whatever she was going to say.

“So… Abigail is super against you going to the wedding. Whatever. I, um, was going to give this to you there, but I figured this is fine too.” _Words, Collar. Use them._ “So, here,” she finished lamely, thrusting the box at Scylla.

She took it with a smile and opened it to reveal a curious looking charm.

A bird skull, about the size of the palm of her hand, with an odd symbol carved into it. It was surrounded by little leaves and a thin coiled vine, all coated in some sort of finishing to preserve it and set onto a round backing with a pin.

Scylla held it up to eye level, examining it for several seconds.

_Ah, shit, fuck, it’s weird, she doesn’t like it. A SKULL, dude, that’s weird as shit._

Her thoughts were cut off when Scylla smiled brightly at her.

“It’s perfect!” she exclaimed. The knot in Raelle’s chest came loose.

“You like it?” She asked softly.

Scylla’s smile softened as she looked the little charm over again.

“It’s ‘sexy weird’- like us,” she said with a wink. Raelle chuckled.

Scylla returned the charm to its box and set it on the ground. Reaching into her pocket, she said, “I have something for you too.”

Raelle squinted at her mock-suspiciously. “Mkayyyyy…”

“Hold out your hand.”

Raelle extended her left hand, making a show of covering her eyes with her right. She felt something small and round pressed into her palm, warm from Scylla’s pocket. She blinked her eyes open and looked down.

She held a sort of coin, the size and color of a silver dollar. It was metal, with the image of a tree with long branches, much like the one they currently stood under, burned into one side. Burned into the other side, was an ‘S’.

Raelle turned the coin over and over, amazed by it. She finally looked back up at Scylla, who was nervously chewing her lip.

“What is this? I mean- no don’t answer that, dumb question. I mean, did you-? How?”

Scylla chuckled in relief at Raelle’s awed stammering.

“Yes, I made it. My dad made a hobby of wood- and metal-working. Showed me a couple tricks. I can’t do any of the big stuff he could, but a little coin image isn’t too hard. There’s actually a place in Historic Salem where you can do metal-working stuff. The owner likes me,” she finished with a shrug.

Raelle stared down at the little coin, blinking tears from her eyes.

_Keep it together lesbian. Don’t cry._

_Okay but do you_ see _this?? She_ made _this. For me! By hand!_

_Yeah you made yours by hand too._

_This ain't about me._

She closed her hand around the coin, holding onto it tightly.

“I love it,” she said, packing all the emotion and sincerity she could into those three little words.

She placed her free hand on Scylla’s cheek, caressing the skin there, running her thumb along her jaw. Slowly she pulled her in and kissed her, slow and sweet and full of all the love she wasn’t ready to admit out loud yet.

As they pulled back, Scylla said, “You don’t want things to be too bad between you and Abigail. Don’t not go because of me.”

“I like doing everything because of you,” Raelle replied seriously.

Scylla swallowed heavily.

“Get through the wedding, and then we’ll go away somewhere. Just you and me,” she replied.

Raelle stared at her for a long moment, sensing there was something Scylla wanted to tell her but wasn’t. And sensing she one hundred percent meant what she said.

Eventually though, they both simply collected their gifts, and headed back towards the barracks, hand in hand.

~.~

Back in her room, Scylla had placed the little wooden box on her desk, and was happily admiring its contents, when her phone rang.

Startled, she went to answer it.

_Shit. They weren’t going to call again. Not yet._

The voice started talking as soon as she flipped the phone open.

_“Check the mail center. We’ve left a package for you. Appropriate attire for the wedding. You’re not one of the family so the blue suit is not required. This will do just fine.”_

“Um…”

_“What.”_

“I couldn’t get invited. I’m sorry. My contact tried to get me in, but-”

_“Unacceptable. We told you to get invited. This hand-off cannot wait, we have buyers lined up.”_

“Well what do you want me to do, crash it?”

The long silence was her answer.

“Shit.”

 _“Do what you must. Be there. Do_ not _mess this up, Scylla. There’s more on the line than money. Or do you think we don’t have a way of pinning this solely on you?”_

Scylla clenched her fists, tears springing to her eyes.

“I’ll- I’ll figure something out. But that’s it, right? After this we’re done? My tuition’s covered for the year and you leave me alone?”

_“Whyever would you think that? There are other seasons, other sports.”_

“But, my contact-”

_“Drop her. And make new ones. Wouldn’t want her getting suspicious and asking questions, would we?”_

Scylla’s breath caught; she couldn’t breathe.

 _“You signed up for this. You’re in it until we say otherwise. Do_ not _miss the wedding, Scylla, or your future is bleak.”_

The line went dead.

~.~

The following week was tense, like the feeling when you’ve jumped off a diving board and are bracing to hit the water.

It was a full day and night before Tally went back to the dorm room, and another before Raelle did. Day three saw the girls speaking to each other, but only barely.

Their teamwork on the practice field suffered for it, something for which Anacostia wasted little time and even less breath calling them out on. Wednesday she set them running laps until they were ‘too tired to be distracted.’

Thursday, Raelle came into the room preoccupied, concerned that, while they had passed messages, she hadn’t seen Scylla since the day they exchanged gifts. So distracted that she didn’t immediately notice the change that had been made to her wedding suit, now hanging off the bottom of Tally’s bed.

She noticed when she walked into it though.

She angrily went to tear it down, but then she noticed it:

A pin.

Many years ago, her mother had shown her a little pin she would always wear whenever she left home. It was a small bird, holding a small rod with a dark blue stone in its foot, attached to a tattered scrap of blue fabric. It was an heirloom, her mother had told her, passed down to the women in their family. 

When her mother died, it passed to Raelle. She wore it on the inside of her shirt for every practice and game. No one knew it was there.

So she was greatly surprised to see it pinned to the jacket of the wedding suit.

She looked around the room, confused. Abigail and Tally were both there, working on class assignments, and Glory was next to Tally on Abigail’s bed, observing.

“Um…?” Raelle said, leaving the question hanging. Abigail looked up at her, the first time in many days that they really directly acknowledged each other.

Abigail shrugged. “I figured you’d put it there anyway, eventually, to rebel or whatever. If I give you that you might behave.”

At first Raelle bristled, but then she reconsidered. She realized this was Abigail’s way of compromising and apologizing. Raelle studied the little tatty scrap of a pin, against the background of a pristine suit jacket. She was pretty sure the pin would even leave holes.

She smiled.

The tension lifted, though they didn’t say anything more, preferring to make the amends in silence.

But Tally only lasted about ten seconds before pulling them into a group hug.

~.~

“Wait, how did you even find this? It was hidden in my shirt.”

“Oh, Tally told me to go through your clothes.”

“That is NOT what I said!”

~.~

Scylla’s hands were sweating. She tried to dry them against her dress but it was no use. Her nerves were getting to her.

_Sneak into a fancy-ass wedding. Sure, no problem._

Her current problem of _getting_ in was proving to be a good distraction from her bigger problem of what she was going to do once she _got_ in.

It wasn't too terribly difficult. Before she left Salem U, she snatched a pack of cigarettes from an unperceptive classmate. Now, she found the path around the side of the house that catering and serving staff had used and carefully went around until she was near the staff door. There she waited until she heard someone coming out, and quickly pretended to light up.

“Ma’am! Excuse me, I’m sorry but there’s no smoking out here. And I’m afraid we need to keep this area clear for staff to come through.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Scylla said, stuffing the cigarettes in a nearby trash can. “I didn’t know. Could you possibly escort me back to the party? I wouldn’t want to get in any of your peoples’ way.”

“Certainly, ma’am. Follow me.”

And just like that, Scylla was walked past the valets up front, the few security people in the halls, and straight to the massive backyard where she could easily blend in with the crowd.

_Easy. Serving staff never care enough about the “important people” to recognize them individually. Relatable, really._

She found a semi-secluded, out of the way corner to watch and wait.

~.~

Abigail’s hands were sweating. She tried to dry them against her suit but it was no use. They had just been dropped off in front of the estate house, and she was moments away from presenting herself and her Unit mates to her mother.

A nerve wracking prospect.

She made last-minute adjustments to Tally and Raelle, and herself, before marching through the doors with all the confidence she didn’t actually feel.

_Okay, be calm. You need to appear collected and in control for the Generals and the recruiter. They don’t accept nervous wrecks at West Point, they want strong candidates._

She kept up the pep talk right up until she hit the pathway, and stopped dead in her tracks, Raelle and Tally crashing into her back.

_Shitbird, I will kill you._

But Raelle had already taken off toward Scylla, who somehow had arrived in front of them. They were talking excitedly, and Raelle said something towards the weird-looking skull thing pinned to Scylla’s sweater, pulling some sort of coin out of her own pocket.

Abigail shook off Tally’s hand and stormed over.

“What the hell are you doing here? You can’t crash this wedding.” She looked at Raelle. “Did you tell her to come anyway?” she asked incredulously.

“No! I didn’t,” Raelle protested, convincingly enough that Abigail believed her. “I’m glad you’re here though,” she said to Scylla, stuffing the coin back into her pocket.

“You are _not_ going to ruin this for us,” she sneered at Scylla, who looked completely unfazed. Then she saw who was approaching and quickly shoved Scylla behind her. She swallowed heavily and stood tall.

Petra, imposing in her uniform, approached with a small group of similarly imposing and uniformed people behind her. She approached Abigail to speak quietly.

“You’re barely on time, which is as good as late, Abigail,” she said with a false smile.

“Apologies. We had… issues.”

“Well, don’t have them here. Get your unit together, the General and recruiter will want to speak to you after the ceremony. I’ll come find you. In the meantime, don’t forget to mingle and make a _good_ impression, if you please. You do know how, Abigail,” she finished, straightening Abigail’s lapels.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Petra nodded smartly and departed, the small group following behind. Abigail rounded on Tally and Raelle, ignoring Scylla.

“Right. There’s food over there,” she said, pointing. “Please park yourselves at that table, try not to talk to anyone, and keep a low profile until the ceremony is over. Then I talk to my sponsor and the recruiter, you guys make me look good, we go home, and I do Raelle’s English paper.”

She received a thumbs up from both girls and sent them off, Raelle towing Scylla. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, running a hand over her face.

_It’s just a few more hours. I can do this._

How bad could a wedding be?

~.~

There were many, _many_ people at this wedding. A great many Bellweathers, military officers, politicians, University officials, a few celebrities, and Anacostia Quartermaine.

She had served many years now as the head of the finest athletic program in the country, and many a Bellweather and other High Atlantics had passed through it, either as a career move or a stepping stone over to the military. Combined with her friendships with Alder and General Bellweather, she had been receiving invites to these high class functions for years now.

She didn’t always attend, as she found the endless politics of it all utterly insufferable, but this one was close to home, the food would be good, and she wanted to keep an eye on the Bellweather Unit.

Let no one say she had a soft spot for them… but she did. She could appreciate people as different from each other as they were, coming together and building something pretty impressive. And the tension in the past week had been unsettling, for all they seemed to have overcome it. She wanted to observe them outside the University.

And the last person she wanted to see with them was Scylla Ramshorn.

~.~

Abigail came for them just as the bells started chiming. Not wanting to make any kind of scene, she begrudgingly allowed Scylla to stand with them in the line leading to the altar.

The wedding ceremony was short and very beautiful. Scylla didn’t fully understand the strange traditions they used, but still she could tell it was very sincere and deep, and she could appreciate that.

And when Raelle reached for her hand, barely lacing their fingers and squeezing her hand softly, Scylla thought she might feel the same.

Afterwards, there were a few toasts from the new couple and some close family and friends, and then the crowd broke up to enjoy more food and finally some dancing.

Raelle didn’t waste anytime pulling Scylla on to the dance floor. She never missed an opportunity to be held by her girlfriend, and this was a whole new way to do it. They moved and swayed to the rhythm, laughing and enjoying themselves.

And the last person Scylla wanted to see was Anacostia Quartermaine.

She stopped moving and Raelle looked around to see what was wrong. They both saw Anacostia heading over and frowned.

“Hey,” Scylla said, “ignore her, okay? Be here with me.”

Raelle’s mouth tightened. “No. No, I’m not putting up with her bias today.”

She took Scylla’s hand and pulled her along, meeting Anacostia halfway, just off the dance floor.

“I can’t imagine you were on the list,” Anacostia said, looking past Raelle straight at Scylla. “Whatever you’re doing here stops now. You need to leave.”

Raelle stepped in front of Scylla, saying, “She’s here with me. Scylla’s my girlfriend, she goes where I go.”

Scylla’s heart burst with warmth, pushing it across her entire body until she was brimming with it. Raelle’s words made her feel safe and loved and cared for, like she had never felt before.

She didn’t get a chance to reply as Tally came bounding over.

“Hello, hi, uh, Raelle- need you. Unit Unity situation,” she said, tugging Raelle’s hand. Raelle gave Anacostia a long look before turning to Scylla.

“You okay?”

Scylla smiled reassuringly. “I’m not scared, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Raelle smiled and suddenly surged forward for a long, deep kiss, until Tally literally pulled her away.

Scylla returned her attention to Anacostia, smirking.

“I warned you to stay away,” Anacostia said. “I can’t imagine what interest you would have in following my players around so much. Showing up at practice, the clubhouse, everywhere really.” Anacostia stared her down.

Scylla’s smirk wavered.

“Leave, now,” she continued, “before whatever you’re doing gets someone hurt.”

She walked away, leaving Scylla to stare after her, thinking hard.

Her hands were sweating again.

~.~

Tally dragged Raelle over to the table where she had left Abigail. She slid to a stop, barely noticing Raelle slide in behind her and collide with the table. She grabbed one of their hands in each of hers.

“Look!” she said, pointing to a nearby table. “Gerit’s here.” She bounced on the balls of her feet, barely containing her excitement.

“Tally, wait-” Abigail began, but she was cut off.

“I should go say hi, right? I mean, we’ve been texting a lot since the boys left. You know- romantic stuff. So, I should go say hi?”

“No!”

“Sure.”

“Yay!” And she took off.

Raelle and Abigail looked on as she approached Gerit, startling him and the few other people he was with. Raelle rolled her eyes, about to leave, when Abigail’s hand on her arm stopped her.

“Wait, watch.”

“What?”

Abigail sighed, “Gerit has a girlfriend.”

Raelle whipped towards her, stunned.

“He what? How? When? What the fuck, why didn’t you tell Tally?”

“Will you shut up long enough for me to answer? He has a girlfriend. I just heard about it. Apparently they’ve been casual for months, but I guess they just recently decided to make it a serious thing. And I didn’t tell Tally because it’s like talking to a tornado with how she is right now.”

Abigail’s head thunked down to the table.

“Ah, fuck,” Raelle said, watching Tally talk animatedly to Gerit. He was saying something now, and by the look on Tally’s face, it wasn’t good.

“He’s an idiot, I knew that, but never _how_ much of one,” Abigail said, words slightly muffled by the table cloth. “He probably genuinely thought it was fine because he was just sleeping with the other girl, nothing serious. If I felt like defending him I’d say he _does_ have genuine feelings for Tally, but my head hurts too much. And he’s an idiot.”

Raelle watched as the scene turned uglier. Tally’s face fell, devastated, as Gerit made some apologetic-looking gestures before the girl he was with awkwardly pulled him away. The few other people left as well, leaving Tally on her own.

Raelle slapped Abigail's shoulder.

“Abby, up, get up, we gotta go, come on.”

They bolted over to Tally, Abigail putting an arm around her and Raelle taking her hand. Tally stood there in shock, dazed and distressed, not saying anything. They were prevented from comforting her further by the arrival of Petra Bellweather, and two other women in uniform.

“Ladies, if we may interrupt,” Petra said with a slight nod. “Abigail, this is General Clary,” she said, motioning to a surprisingly kind-looking woman on her right. She gave a slight nod and smiled in greeting. “And this is Coral Hallmote, Admissions Regional Commander,” Petra continued, indicating the shorter woman on her left.

To the two uniformed women, she said in a friendly tone, “Well, I’ll leave you all to it. General, Commander, the library office is available to you, should you like to use it.” With a last, pointed nod at Abigail, she left.

“Well,” General Clary said, “shall we ladies?”

Abigail looked between them and her Unit mates uncertainly, barely processing this newest event.

Tally spoke up, her voice cracking with emotion. “Um, I- I’m sorry. Please excuse me,” she said, before running off towards the house.

Raelle looked between her and Abigail and the officers.

“I’m sorry, I should probably help…” And she ran off too, leaving Abigail alone.

She spread her hands helplessly. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to forgive them. She- Tally, I mean- just received some… unfortunate news. Perhaps we could postpone this a bit?” she suggested tactfully.

“Oh that won’t be necessary, dear,” General Clary said, patting her arm. “Petra told me everything I need to know, and I owe her a great many favors. It will be no trouble at all for me to sponsor you.” She smiled politely and turned to her companion. “Coral, I’ll talk to you later,” she said before departing.

“Oh, um, okay then,” Abigail said uncertainly. She’d been hoping to discuss her recruitment and qualifications with her sponsor, but she decided it was probably fine if she didn’t. The main person to impress was the woman in charge of admissions for her region, standing in front of her.

“Would you like to sit inside, Commander? I can bring us some drinks,” Abigail said politely. She was worried about Tally, but more afraid of what her mother would say if she blew off this interview.

“Oh that’s alright dear, but thank you. I just want to let you know that I’ll be moving your application through, and I don’t foresee any issue with your coming admission. I believe we’ll be welcoming you with the next class of cadets,” the Commander said brightly.

Abigail furrowed her brow, greatly confused.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Don’t you need to interview me? I’m prepared to discuss my strengths and qualifications, as well as what I can add to West Point.”

Commander Hallmote smiled reassuringly. “Not necessary, dear. Petra Bellweather has been a credit as a graduate of West Point, and a credit to the military. And you are her daughter. Her word is all I need on this; we’d let you in sleepwalking,” she said with a conspiratorial wink. “I’ll see you in the coming semester! I don’t usually have much to do with the cadets once they’re in, but I’ll make a point to stop by,” she said with a smile before patting Abigail’s shoulder and walking off.

Abigail stood stock still, watching her leave.

Tally’s words from a week ago were echoing in her ears: “It’s not really about you at all, not everything is.”

_You’re right, Tal. It was never about me._

~.~

Tally leaned against the closet wall, trying to cry quietly. She had managed to evade Raelle- and Gerit- until she was able to duck in here. She was in some sort of large, walk-in dressing room, with a long floor-to-ceiling mirror, and a couple smaller closets.

She slid down the wall, hugging her knees to her chest, sniffling quietly.

_How could he? I don’t- I don’t understand. I thought- I mean, he said…_

He’d said a lot of things, except that he’d been seeing someone casually for several months.

 _He said he cared about me. He said he_ loved _me, was that a lie?_

She had been so excited to see him that she completely missed his panicked look when she appeared in front of him. She’d tried to pull him away only to be stopped by the girl that was with him and their friends.

Then he’d told her.

The other girl, Hilary, was from another High Atlantic family, like he was. And it was sort of expected they’d pair up someday. They’d been casual for a while, but had just recently decided to make it more of an official thing, for the status or something.

_I love Abby but her people are f- are terrible._

As Tally sat there wallowing in these painful feelings, the dressing room door creaked open.

Her breath caught as she quickly silenced herself, hoping whoever it was would be leaving soon. She peeked through the slats in the closet door to check the room.

_Scylla? Is she looking for me?_

But she didn’t seem to be searching for anyone. In fact, she seemed quite agitated, pacing the floor back and forth, one hand buried in her hair, bottom lip pulled between her teeth. Upset as she was, Tally was about to emerge and ask what was wrong, when suddenly a phone started ringing.

Scylla froze, and slowly drew a small flip phone out of her dress pocket.

_Wait, Raelle said Scylla didn’t have a phone. What’s going on?_

She couldn’t help but notice Scylla’s hand tremble as she answered.

“Yes?”

There was a pause.

“Yeah I’m here, party’s over in about an hour probably. Who am I looking for?”

There was a longer pause as whoever was on the other end responded. Tally was starting to get a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She couldn’t hear what was being said on Scylla’s end, until suddenly she put the phone on speaker.

“...thirty minutes, she’ll meet you by the fountain, do not be late. Give her the flash drive, she’ll wire the money. Then walk away.”

Scylla placed the phone down onto a small side table. She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes, rubbing them tiredly. She looked resigned.

“And then we’re done. Leave me alone,” she told the voice.

“Don’t get cute, Scylla. You work for us until we say otherwise.”

The line went dead.

_Oh, fuck._

Tally leaned back against the wall, trying to process this newest turn of events. It was painfully obvious what Scylla was doing, had been doing, but Tally couldn’t believe it.

_No, I have to be wrong. Not Scylla. She’s cagey, but she wouldn’t do this, not to Rae. They’re being thick about admitting their feelings but-_

The closet door swung open.

Tally wrenched her head up, mouth falling open in shock, and stared up at Scylla’s face. She was looking down at her, mouth twisted to the side, one eyebrow raised.

“You know,” Scylla said, “you breathe kinda loud. Also you were thinking out loud. You’re probably right about us being thick,” she added with a shrug.

Tally stood and came out of the closet.

“I- What-” She couldn’t get anything resembling a coherent thought together, and continued to gape at Scylla. She felt oddly calm.

Scylla sighed, “Sorry, needed another witness. Followed you in here. When someone rats on a crime they were part of, cops like to have corroborating evidence from an outside source. You’re the most level-headed person I know.” She shrugged.

Tally scrambled to put some words together.

“I- You- Witness? What? Wait, what?” The words came slightly faster. “What’s going on? Scylla, _what did you do?_ ”

“I made some bad choices, okay? And I want to make it right, if you can believe me.”

Tally studied her for a long moment, clarity finally coming to her.

“You’re turning yourself in.” She didn’t ask, there was no question. She cocked her head. “For Raelle?”

“Of course, who else? Sorry it took so long, it’s been a while since anything mattered to me,” Scylla replied bitterly.

Tally nodded. “Why now though?”

“Needed to know what my contact looked like. They described her to me. Just more evidence I can hand over.”

Scylla held out the phone. When Tally looked confused, she said, “It’s collateral. I’m gonna talk to Anacostia, I promise, but I want to see Raelle first.” She looked down but Tally saw the glint of tears. “I don’t know what I’ll say but I have to talk to her.” She looked back up at Tally, pleading. “Please?”

Tally sighed and pushed the phone back toward Scylla. 

“I believe you.”

Scylla looked incredibly relieved.

She started to leave but turned back and said, “I’m glad it’s you. You’ll help her, you support her.” Scylla shook her head. “She doesn’t need me.”

As she left, Tally shouted, “So you do love her!”

She heard: “Like I would tell you first!”

Tally stood watching the empty doorway for several long moments, until she came to an important conclusion.

_I thought I knew what real love was, with Gerit. But maybe that was just infatuation._

_Now I’ve seen the real deal._

~.~

Scylla’s hands were no longer sweating.

She was still a little afraid of what would happen next, but for the first time in a long time, she was completely sure of what she was doing. She didn’t care about what happened to her, she hadn’t for a long time, but she had finally decided she loved Raelle, and she wasn’t going to ruin what she had been working for.

In the end, it had been an easy choice.

~.~

Raelle felt a familiar pair of hands slide around her waist and smiled, leaning back.

“Miss me?” came a low voice in her ear. She turned to face Scylla and pecked her on the lips.

“Always,” she said, smiling.

It was a relief to see Scylla again after the whole debacle with the Generals and Gerit. She hadn’t been able to find Tally, and Abigail was now reeling from an existential crisis. Scylla was a steady presence though, and she felt comfortable, finally, leaning on her and knowing she wouldn’t throw a curve-ball at her.

Scylla took both of Raelle’s hands and kissed her fingers.

“Hey, wanna get outta here? There’s a pathway down to the beach, we could take a walk? Talk about some things,” Scylla said, nodding in the direction of the beach.

Raelle considered, looking around the venue.

“I don’t know… It’s been kind of a crazy day. Do you think we could just dance for a bit?” she asked hopefully.

Scylla chewed her lip, looking toward the beach. Then she nodded and said, “Yeah. Let’s dance.”

Raelle smiled gratefully and pulled her onto the dance floor.

She wrapped an arm around Scylla’s waist, holding her flush against her chest; she cradled her hand against her shoulder and rested their heads together.

Scylla said, “I’m sorry it got messy out here and I missed it. What happened?”

“Oh, Tally just got her heart broken by Gerit. Guy troubles- can’t relate,” she said, feeling Scylla chuckle against her. “And Abigail just realized the world only cares about her privilege, not so much her, which honestly I thought I would’ve found more funny, but really I feel kind of bad for her.”

Scylla hummed in agreement.

They swayed to the slow music for a few moments before Raelle spoke again.

“You though, you’re outside all that mess. It’s-” she trailed off nervously before taking a deep breath and plowing ahead- “It’s nice, that whatever crazy I run into, you’re here being the absolute chillest. You’re, um, you’re safe.”

Scylla flinched and squeezed her fingers painfully. She pulled back a little to see her face.

“Scyl, you alright? You look pale,” she asked worriedly.

Scylla shook her said vehemently. “No, no I’m fine. Sorry. Let’s just dance.”

Raelle looked at her a moment more to make sure before leaning back in, resting her chin on Scylla’s shoulder. Their swaying resumed in comfortable silence, letting the music carry them.

Raelle started thinking over the past few months, the time she spent with Scylla, the new realization that she felt safe with her. She’d had trouble talking to people since her mother died, always afraid someone else she cared about would disappear. But she closed her eyes and cast her mind back: the Necro Den, the Fall Festival, the graveyard, their tree. She found she wasn’t afraid anymore, and for the first time in a long time, she relaxed.

Eventually, as the song neared its end, Scylla spoke.

“No matter what happens- I love you.”

She said it quietly, but with so much emotion and passion that Raelle felt a lump rise in her throat. She was too overcome to reply, instead closing her eyes and burying her face into the side of Scylla’s neck. She smiled and pressed little kisses there, trying to project everything she was feeling into the little displays of affection.

Once the song ended, Scylla took a step back, holding Raelle at arms length. Raelle was alarmed to see she looked extremely pale and slightly sick.

Scylla spoke first, however.

“I love you, Raelle, and I would never do anything to hurt you. Please believe me,” she said, sounding desperate.

Raelle was growing more concerned but replied, “I believe you.”

Scylla smiled and pulled her in to kiss her. She could feel Scylla’s lips trembling and her hands were gripping her shoulders tightly.

Raelle was getting a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Her hands were starting to sweat.

~.~

Much, much later, Raelle would recall the confusion she felt when Scylla left the dance floor to go talk to Anacostia. The odd look on Tally’s face as she came over and watched Scylla leave. The shock and realization on Anacostia’s face as Scylla handed her some sort of flash drive. The utter disbelief as Anacostia stared Scylla down and nodded, leading her away with a hand on her shoulder.

Much, much later, she would realize Scylla’s confession of love was a goodbye.

In the moment though, as Tally and Abigail and Raelle stood in a huddle, leaning on each other, reeling from all the day’s events, Raelle only had one thought:

_I didn’t tell her I loved her too._

_~.~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "How bad could a wedding be?" ^_^ Well if anyone is sticking around after that- IT GETS WORSE FROM HERE :D
> 
> Couple notes: I did make things less dramatic, because, you know, big difference between fraudulent gambling ring and _terrorism_. Also I put the famous(ly painful) Scylla quote from 1x07 in this chapter for a reason, which I will explain at the top of chapter 6.
> 
> Today's absolutely stunning (and particularly relevant) art brought to you by Aemeth! Find her on [aemeth](https://aemeth1.tumblr.com/) and Twitter [@aemeth2](https://twitter.com/aemeth2). Check out her other equally amazing art :) If you or anyone you know has some art to show, tell me! Full credit to the artist(s).
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


	6. Man Up, Man Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oof.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the week delay but we're back to it! I went in a different direction with this chapter but I really like how it turned out. Also, each chapter title was chosen in the planning stages of this fic (they're al lacrosse terms) and I went with ones that related to each chapter. I only recently realized that the title of episode 6 in MFS is Up is Down :P So clearly I'm on the right track here haha.
> 
> This one is dedicated to my friend rayllaendgame. You asked for more angst, I deliver. Don't deny it, I have the receipts. x
> 
> My beta abandoned me for her gf again, it's fine, I'm not salty, I HAD DIBS, totally cool. Ily buddy <3 I beta'd, yolo.
> 
> Disclaimer: sad.

_man up, man down: power play when a team is down a player_

In the days following the wedding, many things began to change. It was a slow, blurry metamorphosis, one that the Bellweather Unit would be hard pressed to remember in detail, years down the road. Their thoughts were messy, unclear. They were in a daze- a floating cloud of uncertainty obscuring the world around them.

It’s uncertain if the cloud was protecting them, or blocking.

Maybe both.

~.~

It was funny, in Anacostia’s opinion, that after months of following Raelle Collar extremely closely, trying to get her to bring out her potential, she was now trying to avoid the girl and found she couldn’t. After the wedding, she didn’t see Collar for two days. Usually, missing those practices would’ve been immediate removal from first string, if not the team entirely, but given the circumstances, Anacostia decided to be a little lenient.

When she returned to practice on that third day, however, Anacostia could tell she wasn’t focused on the field, but on getting her coach’s attention.

It was unavoidable, really, and Anacostia didn’t blame Collar for seeking her out. She was, after all, the one who led Scylla away.

But that didn’t mean Anacostia had to tell her anything.

After practice that day, the Bellweather disappeared into the weight room (and it was a testament to Craven’s preoccupation that she didn’t try to stop her) and Collar and Craven approached her as she packed up on the side of the field.

“Practice is over and I’m sure you have homework that needs doing. Or do you think grades are not important if you’re on a team?” She was intentionally dismissive, as usually such harshness would send Craven skittering away, or at least put Collar off, rolling her eyes.

So she was privately surprised when each girl held her ground, meeting her eyes squarely.

_ The difference a few months can make… _

“Where’s Scylla?” Collar asked, never one to beat around the bush. Standing slightly behind her, Craven’s face flushed with guilt and she looked down.

Calmly, Anacostia replied, “As I told you, Scylla Ramshorn is no longer a student here at Salem U.”

“I already know where she’s not, I want to know where she  _ is _ ,” Collar replied fiercely. “She was here, then she talked to you, now she’s gone. You don’t get to be on this team without good grades, I passed statistics, I know what correlation is.”

“The particulars of our discussion are no business of yours, nor are they related to her departure from the school,” Anacostia lied. “You may appeal to her student advisor for more information, though I doubt she would be more forthcoming.”

“Bullshit!” Collar yelled, enraged. For a moment, Anacostia was caught up in her fury, imaging a clap of thunder or rolling storm clouds. “Something happened! Something bad! And you know what it is because  _ you _ took her away.” Collar’s hand balled up into shaking fists; tears of rage sprung to her eyes. “You took her away from  _ me. _ ”

For a moment, Anacostia wavered, moved by the rage and sadness in the girl’s cracking voice. Behind her, Craven looked deeply upset, a hand hovering over her Unit mate’s thin shoulder.

“Just tell me if she’s okay,” Collar pleaded, more softly. “Tell me what happened.”

  
  


_ “Don’t tell her what happened,” Ramshorn said, handing over a small flash drive. “Please, that’s all I want. Maybe you think I don’t deserve any favors, but Raelle does.” _

_ Anacostia, still reeling from the confession this girl had just laid out, said nothing. But she was listening. _

_ “It’s easier, for her, if she just thinks I left. I promised I wouldn’t,” she said, her voice cracking. Tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill over. “And I never would have, but… she doesn’t need to lose everything she worked for this season. And she doesn’t need me.” _

_ Her eyes were on the flash drive as she spoke, then on the ground. She never looked up. Anacostia tucked away the small bit of plastic and hardware into a suit pocket, keenly aware of the three girls watching intently not too far away. _

_ “Very well,” Anacostia finally replied. Now Scylla looked up, startled. Then she nodded with gratitude. “Let’s go, Scylla.” _

_ She led Scylla out of the venue, discreetly, and waited until they were out of sight before making a few phone calls. _

  
  


“I’ve told you what I know. She will not be returning to campus.” Anacostia threw a hand up, cutting off Collar’s rebuttal. “I advise you to drop the matter, Collar, and focus on things that  _ are _ on campus. Your classes and the team, for example. Both could use some more of this dedication you seem to have bottled up inside you.”

Collar glared at her and her mouth opened to deliver more cutting words, until Craven’s hand finally came to rest on her shoulder. She stood there, fuming, until finally she whirled around, storming off the field.

There had been tear tracks on her face.

Anacostia watched her go and then turned to face Craven, who was watching her with an intense look.

“She needs the truth.”

“She needs to let this go.”

“No! You don’t understand!” Anacostia was shocked when this usually mild-mannered girl suddenly raised her voice to her, but she kept it off her face. “You don’t know her, you don’t live with her; I do. She- she’s devastated, she doesn’t understand. She’s in  _ love _ with Scylla- and maybe you think that’s stupid or over-dramatic but it’s not and I won’t let you invalidate the way she feels.”

Anacostia raised an eyebrow, impressed regardless. She’d heard stories of the rare times this girl had to raise her voice to her hard-headed Unit mates, but to be on the receiving end was its own experience.

“She’s been lied to enough, don’t you think? She deserves the truth.”

“The  _ truth _ , Craven, since you are such an advocate for it, is that the situation is out of our hands.” Anacostia’s voice was firm but not harsh. “It was decided not to release the true circumstances of her removal from school, and those who do know are to keep it to themselves. It was decided by individuals who have a much higher pay grade than me.”

Tally frowned.

“She’ll never believe you.”

  
  


_ “She’ll never believe you,” Scylla said unexpectedly as they waited. She looked up and Anacostia was surprised to see her looking so happy. “I did too well, I think. She trusts me. Believes I’d never hurt her. Guess I’m a better liar than I thought.” The smile disappeared, replaced by a self-deprecating grimace. _

_ “You’re probably right. She’s too smart, too stubborn. She’ll feel broken, at first, I imagine,” Anacostia said, watching Scylla’s eyes clench shut in pain. “But nothing compared to the betrayal should she find out the truth. Maybe she should know from the start. Because now you’ve got not only me, but Craven also lying to her.” _

_ Scylla’s mouth tightened. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t really care about what she thinks of you or Tally. Well, maybe a little bit Tally. But I think we’ve already established I’m a coward. And I’m afraid of her knowing I was using her.” _

_ “She’ll find out eventually.” _

_ Scylla shrugged but didn’t say anything else. _

  
  


“I will make this extremely clear, Craven: You are  _ not _ , under any circumstances, to divulge the true nature of Scylla’s departure to anyone, Collar or otherwise. Do you understand? Failure to adhere may result in your own removal, not just from the team, but the school.”

Anacostia waited a moment longer, studying the girl’s face. It was grim, her jaw clenched. After a beat, she nodded once.

Satisfied, for now, Anacostia collected her bag and left, turning her back to the girl.

She didn’t see her face change: uncertainty gave way to grim determination.

~.~

Glory was growing increasingly concerned about Tally.

Ever since her Unit had gotten back from that wedding, Tally had been uncharacteristically quiet. She knew some weird stuff had gone down: something about Abigail and a recruiter, the whole Gerit drama, and now something about Scylla leaving school.

_ Not sure I ever want to get married now; weddings seem dangerous. _

She’d been alarmed when Tally had come to her immediately after her return to campus, paler than usual and fidgeting. Glory’s roommates had kindly given them the room as Tally slumped onto her bed, head in her hands. She’d sat next to her, a comforting hand on her back, until suddenly Tally had burst into tears.

She could count on one hand the number of times she’d ever seen Tally cry.

Glory had murmured comforting words to her, rubbed her back, held her- until finally the tears subsided and Tally was able to tell her what happened.

She hadn’t painted a very clear picture of Abigail or Raelle’s wedding events, but she told all about Gerit. Glory offered, in her quiet, placid way, to kill him, which thankfully had gotten a laugh out of Tally. She’d wiped her eyes and sniffed and returned Glory’s hug, declining the offer.

_ Too bad. I would’ve marched down to Salem Too and roasted him in front of all his friends. Nobody hurts my girl. _

Tally had declined to divulge much about her Unit mates’ woes, and Glory understood she was protecting them. That too was familiar: Tally protected everyone she cared about, fiercely.

Tally had eventually calmed down, but she hadn’t wanted to be alone. Glory decided not to ask how she would be alone in a room with two other girls. It wasn’t the first time they had spent the night in the same bed, but it  _ was _ the first time Glory had been the big spoon, and she wished it could’ve been under better circumstances. Regardless, she didn’t sleep much that night, having much to think over.

During the next couple of practices, she could tell things were still not quite right. Tally still seemed very distracted, even after Raelle had resumed coming to practice. Surprisingly though, it didn’t seem to be the ‘Gerit situation’ on Tally’s mind. She seemed more concerned with her Unit mates. Glory was happy her friend didn’t seem too hung up on the silly boy-person, but she was still worried. Again, Tally declined to tell her much.

So she decided to watch the other two.

Raelle was in a fugue state. She seemed like she was lost in another world, not really present. Glory had heard that Scylla had left school, and it seemed Raelle was taking it very hard. Tally had explained the depth of the girl’s feelings for her girlfriend. Glory felt bad for her but she didn’t think there was much she, or Tally, could do about it.

And then there was Abigail.

Tally had been so happy and relieved when Abigail had agreed to take her intense training down a notch, as she had told Glory. And Glory had known how worried she had been for her new roommate. But now it seemed Abigail was sinking back into her old habits.

She was constantly training, on and off the field. She was the first one there, day after day, and the last one gone. Outside of practice and classes, she could always be seen running or doing drills, or found in the weight room until it closed for the night.

Glory admired her dedication, but she was concerned nevertheless. She knew the unstoppable Bellweather couldn’t possibly be getting enough rest. And the wear was starting to show. Even Libba realized it was unhealthy and for once didn’t try to match her.

And that seemed to be the last straw for Tally.

Glory had gone to their dorm to see if she could get Tally to go to lunch with her; they hadn’t spent time together in a while and Glory was hoping she’d be able to help Tally out of her funk.

But when she arrived, just outside the open door, she couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the conversation happening inside.

It seemed it was just Abigail and Tally, and her friend was trying to convince her Unit mate to take a break.

“Abigail, you’ve been going nonstop for  _ days _ . We have a game tomorrow, we’re supposed to have a light day before game day. Enough to not get too lax but not enough to be exhausted. Only you’ve been exhausted since about the moment we got back from that wedding.”

“Leave it alone, Tally. You don’t understand.”

The creak of a shifting bed suggested Abigail was sitting on her bed. The sound of pacing told her where Tally was.

“You’re right, I don’t. You  _ promised _ me that you would take it down a notch. You promised, and for a while you did it. But now you’re backsliding and I don’t get it!”

A sigh. “You wouldn’t, Tal. You’re not from my world. Look, I told you what that recruiter said, and you were right: no one cares about me or what I can do. It’s all about my name. My  _ mother’s _ name.”

There was a long pause, and Glory already knew what Tally would say.

Finally it was confirmed as Tally said, very softly, “ _ I _ care about you.”

Glory was infinitely amazed at the amount of love and compassion Tally was capable of holding and sharing. She had been since they were little kids and some bullies had been making fun of her for being quiet. Tally had stopped them and sent them off and then declared that the two of them were now friends. But then she had gone to find the bullies, explained why what they did was wrong, and then offered them friendship also.

She had always been a bridge.

Refocusing on the conversation, she heard Abigail sigh.

“I know, Tal.”

_ No way that’s going to be good enough for Tally. _

And it wasn’t.

“I know you know, but I  _ don’t _ know why that doesn’t seem to be good enough for you.”

“What are you t-”

“Rae and I both care about you Abs! I  _ love _ you and I can’t speak for Rae but I’m sure she does too. At the very least, she cares about you a lot. She’s just the worst at showing it. And it’s not just us- Glory cares, Anacostia cares- she frowns when you go straight to the weight room after practices because even  _ she _ can admit that’s too much. Even  _ Libba _ is like, mildly concerned. She’s not even trying to keep up with your ridiculous training right now because she knows it’s bad. Not just bad- it’s  _ dangerous _ , Abby.”

Glory could hear Tally’s voice waver and she could tell her friend was going to start crying soon.

_ Twice in a week. Crap. Maybe her mom was right? The world didn’t waste any time shitting on her. Maybe she can’t handle all of this at once. There’s a lot to unpack here. _

“Tally, look, I appreciate your support, really, but-”

“But nothing.” Glory was shocked at the ferocity in Tally’s voice. She no longer sounded like she was on the verge of tears. Glory risked glancing into the room and saw Tally now towering over Abigail, still seated on the bed. The poor girl looked exhausted, barely sitting up straight, with what looked like a massive bruise on her left arm.

_ Did she hurt herself training? I’m not surprised with how tired she looks. _

“You and I both know what this is about,” Tally continued. “ _ Who _ this is about.” Abigail glared at the floor. “Your mother can’t do this to you, Abigail. She demands too much. She demands perfection, and that’s not fair. You’re not perfect; no one is. But you  _ are _ amazing and incredibly talented. Though how would you know? She never acknowledges it. She treats you like a tool to extend her legacy, not like a daughter. If she’s only proud of you when you over-succeed, and condemns you when you fail, then  _ she’s _ the problem, not you.”

_ …I should maybe not be listening to this. _

She continued listening.

“Tally, stop, please. You don’t get it, okay? I know it doesn’t make sense to you, but it does to me.” Abigail paused for a minute, and Glory ducked back out of view. After a moment, Abigail said hesitantly, “It’s the only thing that makes sense to me right now. Okay? So just, let me work.”

“I don’t control you Abigail, you make your own choices and I support you the best I can. Because that’s what you do when you love someone but they won’t stop trying to destroy themselves.”

Glory risked peeking around the doorway again, and saw Tally kneel down in front of Abigail. She took her face in her hands and made her look up.

“She does not control you, Abigail Bellweather. You are more than what she lets you be. So much more. And when you see that, and you decide you want to know what else you’re capable of, I’ll be here for you. And so will Rae. She’ll grumble but she’ll be here.”

With that, Tally leaned forward and kissed Abigail on the forehead, whispered something, and stood, turning to leave.

Glory fled down the hallway, back to her own room, knowing she had been caught.

_ Hell, Tally might’ve known I was there the whole time. She’s more perceptive than I ever realized. Than  _ anyone _ realized, maybe. Including her. _

She did eventually meet up with Tally for dinner, and neither of them brought up the overheard conversation. She had briefly wondered if Tally would be mad, but she was her usual self, if still a bit preoccupied.

Glory wasn’t sure if Tally was better or worse after her talk with Abigail, but one thing was certain now:

Tally could handle herself just fine. And anything life cared to throw at her.

Tally would be okay.

~.~

Petra glanced at the clock impatiently, tapping her foot beneath the desk she sat at. From the corner of her eye, she saw Bridey shift her weight from one foot to the other, settling herself more comfortably. She had offered the woman a chair, but she had quietly declined, stating she preferred to stand.

_ Where is that girl? I sent that message with ample time, she should have been here precisely at four. _

She glanced up again as the clock ticked over to three minutes past four.

At four minutes past, the door of this mostly unused office finally swung open, admitting Abigail, slightly out of breath and still in her running clothes.

“I’m sorry for being late, Mom. My mile time wasn’t-” She stopped as Petra raised an eyebrow.

“I am not interested in excuses Abigail. I do hope, in the future, when an officer or employer requests your arrival at a certain time, that you will not have need for such excuses.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Petra nodded. “Good. Now, for the reason I am visiting today.” She waved Bridey forward and the woman stepped into place at her side, hands locked behind her back. “Abigail, this is Bridey. Bridey, my daughter Abigail.” Bridey nodded. Abigail looked between her and Petra, clearly confused.

“Um, nice to meet you.”

“Abigail, given your performance at Friday’s game, it is clear you need help in your training. Bridey will provide that help. She was formerly in the service, and currently works as private security. She comes highly recommended from several of my friends. As you will soon be headed to West Point, she serves a dual purpose in also getting you started on military training.”

Abigail looked shocked and immediately protested.

“What? Mom, I don’t need a personal trainer. I’m working hard, non-stop, you can ask any one. Ask Anacostia! Friday’s game was a win, what was wrong?”

Petra frowned. “What was ‘wrong’, was that you seemed to be lagging behind. You were not in control of the field, even the  _ Swythe _ was ahead of you. And your unit- what was wrong with them? They both seemed highly distracted and it is  _ your _ responsibility to keep them in line. Yes, your  _ team _ won the game, but  _ you _ did not get them there.”

Abigail hung her head slightly, not meeting Petra’s gaze.

“I-I had an off day. It’s- it’s been a rough week. Tally and Raelle too. There’s been a lot going on.” She picked her head up. “I know you don’t like apologies, but I’m sorry for my performance. I assure you it was not due to a lack of effort on my part. Or my Unit for that matter. And it will not happen again.”

_ Well, that’s something. A little better response than I was expecting, really. _

“Well that is good to hear,” Petra said, and Abigail ventured a small smile. “Nevertheless, I will have Bridey train you in your off hours. You can never be too prepared for West Point, Abigail. And the better head start you have on the other cadets, the better you can make yourself look and the better you can show your potential for leadership. I will have a schedule sent to you and I will make arrangements for you to have use of the weight room after hours, should you still need the extra time.”

Abigail opened her mouth, seeming to be about to argue, but she closed it again. After a moment, she nodded.

“Yes ma’am.”

Petra nodded, satisfied. “Good. I know what you’re capable of, Abigail, and I won’t have you squander your chance at greatness.” She placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder and offered her a rare smile. “I know you will make me proud, and make our family proud.”

~.~

Bridey followed Abigail down to the lacrosse field, keeping precisely four steps behind her and one to her left at all times. The girl kept looking back over her shoulder, glaring, but it didn’t bother Bridey in the slightest. She had at first been resigned to this babysitting job, but after the confrontation- she wouldn’t necessarily call it a conversation- between Petra and her daughter earlier, she was now intrigued.

Down at the lacrosse field, she assisted Abigail in setting out ropes and cones and other equipment so the girl could run through drills. Bridey was content to watch her at first, to see where she needed improvement.

“I don’t need your help. And  _ don’t _ try to talk to me while I’m working- I want to focus,” Abigail snapped before starting her workout. Bridey simply raised an eyebrow- the one not covered by her eyepatch.

As the girl began her drills, Bridey soon saw what the problem was.

Abigail’s form was impeccable, though Bridey had only recently learned the rules and technical aspects of this particular sport. She was quick on her feet and strong behind the stick. Having watched video of previous games, Bridey also knew she had good leadership instincts and a solid grasp of what was going on around her. And her dedication was inarguable.

The problem was much worse.

The girl was exhausted.

_ I’ve seen this type before. _

She wasn’t thinking about Abigail though.

_ Petra pushes too hard. She cares about the goal, and not what it took for this girl to get there. There is real talent here, but she’ll ruin it  _ and _ the girl if she doesn’t let up. _

But she also knew Abigail’s type.

_ She’s not one who will slow down because anyone tells her too. She’s one who needs to push past her breaking point, shatter, and be put back together. I just hope she’s got good people somewhere who can help with that. Because I will break her thoroughly. _

And she was thorough. Brutal.

For three days she filled Abigail’s every waking moment, and a few sleeping ones, with endless drills and training. From the moment she woke her up in the morning (usually by barging in and dragging her out of bed) to her first class, and then as soon as the final class let out, all the way to practice, she was there. She never did the same drill twice, just to put further strain on the girl. When practice let out, Bridey was waiting. She kept her going until just before the dining hall would close. Then she let the girl eat, do homework, and study, until she dragged her out for a nighttime run before bed. A few hours of sleep and then all over again.

The roommates hated her.

Bridey could tell, each time she entered the room, or half-carried Abigail back from training, that the other two girls wanted to say something. The red-head looked disapproving, sometimes sad, and was always the one to help Abigail get ready, with whispered words that the exhausted girl brushed aside. The little blonde, though, was far more aggressive. She would glare Bridey down, radiating fury, when she wasn’t distracted by some odd little coin in her hand.

Anytime it seemed like one of these girls would say something directly to Bridey, Abigail stopped them. She would wave them off, straighten her clothes, take a deep breath, and follow Bridey out to the day’s torment.

She was surprised the girl lasted all of three days.

Her determination and conviction and dedication were impressive, and Bridey privately applauded her.

_ Now if only she would channel it appropriately. _

She liked the roommates, all told. They would be good support for the girl once she finally broke.

And that happened on the fourth day.

After practice let out, the rest of the team headed out, with Anacostia looking disapprovingly back at Bridey and Abigail. Bridey had already explained her plan to Anacostia, who she correctly believed didn’t approve of Abigail’s misguided work ethic any more than she did, but the coach was still unsettled about it all.

And her Unit- she hadn’t bothered to learn their names yet- lingered as well. Abigail waved them on mechanically, but they remained near the side of the field, talking heatedly to each other. Bridey joined Abigail in the center of the field, dropping the equipment she carried. She picked up the girl’s crosse and tossed it to her.

It fell to the ground.

“Pick that up. You’ll need to be sharper than that for today’s training,” Bridey said.

Abigail stared blankly at the stick.

“Hey, standing around won’t make this go any faster. Pick it up, and let’s go.”

“No.”

_ Oh, finally. She lasted longer than I thought she would. _

“Excuse me?”

Abigail finally looked up. She was beyond exhausted, she swayed where she stood, there were bags under her eyes and Bridey didn’t doubt she’d need help walking back to her dorm, but still she stood her ground.

“I said  _ no _ . I’m done, I’m not doing this anymore.”

“And why not?”

“Because it’s pointless! I’ll never get to where you want me to be. This is how it is at West Point? Fuck, might as well just enlist. Or apply to the police academy,” Abigail said, rubbing her face tiredly.

The chattering at the edge of the field stopped.

Bridey winced. “First, all police are terrible and you can do better. Second, this is not how it’s done  _ anywhere _ because few people are as stubborn as you and try to beat this training. It’s not meant to be beaten, it’s meant to beat you. And if you’re finally figuring that out, I wouldn’t say it was pointless.”

Abigail gaped at her, speechless.

“Third,” Bridey continued, “none of that is why you’re stopping. So tell me why.”

Abigail’s mouth opened and closed several times as she tried to think of a response.

Finally she said, “Be-because I… can’t? I can’t do it.”

“I doubt that. I’m certain you could do anything you put your mind to and wanted enough.”

She watched Abigail’s face as the gears turned sluggishly in her brain.

“I… don’t want this.”

_ Took a while but she got there. _

“Keep going.”

Abigail slowly picked up her crosse, using it to lean on.

“I don’t want to work myself like this. I can’t handle it, but apparently I’m not meant to…” She glared at Bridey, who smiled for the first time since meeting the Bellweathers. She continued, “I want to succeed with lacrosse and at West Point, but I don’t need to kill myself to do it.”

“But your mother seems to think you need the extra practice. There was the one failure, I’m told.”

Abigail gazed past her at the two girls hovering on the sideline, watching them.

“I… am allowed to fail. It doesn’t mean I didn’t do my best. And my mother… she’s not the one next to me when I work. She doesn’t see what I put into it. So why should she get to judge?”

Bridey smiled fully and stepped closer to Abigail, putting a hand on her shoulder, feeling it shake with exhaustion.

“You learn slowly, but you learn. Abigail, listen to me: while I served, my team and I were in the Andes. Something we thought was safe turned into a bad firefight, and I made a call that got all of us out safe- all except one. She was like a sister to me, they all were. But she died on my call. I lost my eye that day, and for a long time I thought it was my punishment for losing her. But now I know- it’s a reminder that we do not control every single thing that happens in life, and it is madness to try. We can only ever do our best, and deal with the consequences, or reap the rewards.”

She squeezed Abigail’s shoulder as she nodded, understanding. Then she shoved the girl down to one knee.

“Ow! What-”

“Shut up. Now, you are going to let those girls take you home, get cleaned up, do your homework, get some fucking rest, and tomorrow you will do  _ nothing. _ Understand me? You can miss class once in your life, it won’t kill you. Make the little one bring you your work if it makes you feel better. And I’ll tell Anacostia you’re taking the day off.”

“But, my mother-”

“-doesn’t need to know, I think. And I don’t think either Anacostia or myself are particularly inclined to tell her you missed one practice.”

Abigail’s mouth tightened and for a moment it seemed like she might argue, but then she sighed and nodded.

“Good girl,” Bridey said with a pat on her shoulder. She looked up and waved for the two other girls to come over. They came at the trot. “Now, tell your friends all the nice things you just learned and figured out, so that way when the lesson slips your mind, they can remind you.”

Abigail nodded and Bridey began collecting all of the equipment on the ground. She packed Abigail’s away and hung the duffel off the red-head’s shoulder. That one still looked doubtful, but she nodded to Bridey nonetheless. The little one was busy calling Abigail a wuss as she carefully helped her off the ground, supporting her with an arm around her waist. Abigail swore at her.

_ What the fuck is a ‘Shitbird’? _

Bridey nodded to the three of them and said to Abigail, “Since you have no idea how to craft an effective and  _ safe _ training regimen, I will do it for you and deliver it tomorrow sometime. Not sure when. But I know I’ll find you in your room, right?”

Abigail rolled her eyes but nodded.

“Good. Sleep well. Ladies.” She nodded once more and departed.

Once she cleared the field, she turned back to watch the trio, headed in the opposite direction toward the barracks. The red-head and the little one each supported Abigail on either side, pausing once in a while to let her rest. She saw the red-head press a kiss to the side of Abigail’s head, and the little one patted her hand.

Bridey smiled, reminiscing.

_ She was my sister, they all were. _

Abigail would be okay.

~.~

Izadora usually took it upon herself not to get too involved with the students, beyond class and being an advisor. However, this was the second time she was having to get involved with this particular student.

This was the second time Raelle Collar had broken into the Necro Den.

She caught her poking around the fungi, looking lost and upset.

_ Ah fuck, here we go. _

Izadora was aware of Scylla Ramshorn’s current whereabouts and situation, and could only assume that was the reason Raelle was poking around the lab and greenhouse areas. Not that there was anything she could tell the girl about that. At least by now, a week or so later, there was an official story.

“Excuse me,” she said suddenly, making the girl jump. “What are you doing here? After hours? Without permission?  _ Again _ ?”

Raelle glanced around, like she might flee. But then she just met Izadora’s gaze, shoulders slumped, looking defeated.

“I’m- I’m sorry, really. I know I’m not supposed to be here. I just…” She trailed off and looked away from Izadora.

_ Ah shit, please don’t cry on the plants or something. _

Izadora sighed, “It’s alright, I can guess.” She shook her head. “Come with me, okay? I need to keep this room temperature controlled.”

Raelle nodded and followed Izadora around while she checked on everything. Then she led the girl back into the science building, through the dark hallways, to her office.

“Have a seat,” she said, pointing to the empty chair across from hers. She took a bottle of water out of the mini fridge behind her and offered it to Raelle. The girl looked disheveled and seemed a bit dazed, possibly dehydrated.

They simply sat in silence for several moments while Raelle fiddled with the cap of the water bottle, not drinking from it. She would occasionally look around the room, studying the various science posters Izadora had up on the walls. She thought they probably would go over the girl’s head, but then she caught her mouthing the words as she read, and smiling as if she recognized them.

Finally Raelle broke the silence.

“I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, and I feel like I’m going crazy because no one seems to be taking this seriously. She was there and now she’s gone. I tried talking to Anacostia and she just blew me off. My Unit doesn’t know anything. You were her teacher though, her student advisor, you must know something.” She bit her lip. “Please know something.”

Izadora softened at this girl’s heartfelt plea.

_ Poor thing. Heartbreak is never easy. Or quick to get over. _

“Raelle,” she said softly, “Grief is stubborn and wild, like an untamed animal. Sometimes you have to let itself run all over the place, until it wears itself out. And I think truth is the best medicine.”

For a brief moment, Raelle perked up, because someone was going to give her a real answer.

Even if it wasn’t going to be the one she wanted.

“Scylla no longer attends Salem U. There was a problem with her financial aid; it fell through. With no way to resolve the issue, we were forced to end her enrollment.” She paused for a moment, watching the words sink in. Raelle looked confused, disbelieving. “Understand, this is not something to generally be shared with another student, but given the circumstances I believe it would do you some good to have some closure.”

It took several moments for Raelle to respond.

“What- what are you talking about? No, Scylla was here on scholarship. All four years, she told me! I saw the letters, I know where they are. I can show them to you! Or whatever idiot in financial aid who dropped the ball.” Raelle was getting heated and Izadora jumped in to stop her.

“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing to be done now. Her room has been cleared out already and all her belongings returned to her.”

Raelle had stood up and started pacing, but now she froze and her head whipped toward Izadora.

“Returned to her where? She has no money, no family- she’s alone! Where did she go??”

_ I barely know Scylla’s last name, and I was her advisor. This girl seems to know her whole life story though. _

Scylla’s sudden confession was beginning to make more sense to Izadora.

“I have no way of knowing where she is now. But she is not here, nor will she be returning.”

Raelle slammed her hands down onto Izadora’s desk.

“You mean you just kicked her out? On her own? With nowhere to go?” She paused, thinking furiously. “No. I don’t believe it. Because the financial aid office busted ass to get me a full ride here. I’ve seen Scylla’s grades, her work- they would’ve worked for her too. There’s something more going on.”

_ She’s sharp. And Anacostia said she’s undeclared? Maybe I can persuade her to bring that intellect to my department. _

Raelle continued, “Something else is going on, and either you don’t know, or you’re lying to me too. Either way, I’m wasting my time here.”

With that, she stormed out of the room.

_ Maybe not, the equipment here is very fragile. _

~.~

Glory was walking back to the barracks arm-in-arm with Tally, Abigail close behind them. They’d had a late dinner and had been relaxing in Fort Salem until it was nearly lights-out before deciding to head back.

They were approaching the Bellweather Unit’s room when they noticed the door was open, but no lights were on, save the faint glow of an outdoor lamp post. Glory looked curiously at Tally, who just shrugged.

Abigail pushed herself ahead of them, saying, “No we closed it before we left. It was locked.”

Glory and Tally waited while Abigail went to the door. She peeked in and a shocked look came over her face.

“Oh shit, Tally,” she said, waving her Unit mate over.

Tally hurried over, Glory right behind her, and looked in. She gasped at whatever she saw and slipped past Abigail into the dimly lit room. Once they both had entered, Glory could poke her head around the doorway and see what was going on.

Raelle was sitting on Abigail’s bed, staring straight ahead. There was a blank look on her face, no expression whatsoever. She was pale, her hair was messy with braids falling out, and she didn’t seem to notice Abigail or Tally gather around her, let alone Glory hovering in the doorway.

Again.

Tally knelt in front of her, taking one hand in both of hers. Abigail remained standing, on the alert.

“Rae?” Tally said hesitantly. “Hey, Raelle? Can you hear me? What’s going on?”

Raelle responded with something Glory couldn’t quite make out, but she heard the name ‘Scylla’ and ‘not coming’ and something about a beach.

Raelle had a small coin in her hands; she passed it back and forth between her fingers.

Tally looked concerned, questioning Raelle quietly while Abigail looked on. They seemed to have forgotten Glory.

She didn’t mind so much, and didn’t mind either that she couldn’t hear what was being said. Watching them was telling her everything she needed to know. She could assume Raelle was upset about something related to Scylla’s sudden departure, and it was obvious the girl was struggling to deal with her intense emotions.

_ I can relate. I can’t imagine what I’d do if I lost Tally. _

She watched as tears began to roll down Raelle’s cheeks. The girl wasn't even actively crying, just letting the drops fall. Tally reached up to brush them away, resting her hand on Raelle’s cheek. She continued to talk to her softly, until finally Raelle blinked a few times, eyes finally focusing on Tally. She still seemed out of it, but Tally was obviously relieved that she was now responding.

Glory tilted her head, trying to reconcile the image in front of her with how these girls had been at the start of training- just a few months ago. There still was tension sometimes, especially between Raelle and Abigail, but Glory could tell there were the beginnings of a deeper connection taking place here.

Tally brushed her thumb over Raelle’s cheek and said something else, to which Raelle nodded. She looked exhausted now. Abigail put a hand on Tally’s shoulder, also nodding. Tally covered the hand on her shoulder with her free one. Finally Raelle said something, and it seemed to be a signal.

As Tally and Abigail each helped Raelle to stand, Glory left.

They would do just fine with just each other.

And Raelle would be okay.

~.~

At the end of practice the next day, the last one before the following day’s away game, Anacostia gathered the team together for an announcement.

“Ladies,” she began as they sat, knelt, or stood in a half-circle around her, “we have an addition to the athletics program I would like to introduce. We will be having a student here assist with our program for the time being. I feel like it’s time to shake things up, just a little, to get us in top condition for play-offs in a little over a month.”

There was a murmur of excitement at the mention of play-offs and the following championship, and the tired players came alive a little bit more. Anacostia let them believe that, rather than alarm anyone that their program materials may have been leaked. 

And anyway, she had decided to believe that Scylla had not leaked anything of importance before her surrender.

“This is an exchange student who arrived recently who won’t be in any sort of official position here, he’s just lending a hand.”

There were many shocked murmurs at that last part, and Anacostia smirked as she heard the word ‘ _ he _ ’ repeated over and over.

“Yes, I said ‘he’. Don’t get too excited. As I said- he’s not an official part of the department or any team. Adil?”

She held her hand out and the girls turned to see a young man, about 20 years old, approaching. He was dressed for the late October chill in a jacket, jeans, and boots. He had light brown skin, dark hair, and darker eyes. The blue scarf around his neck looked like it had seen better days.

He approached with a friendly smile and wave.

“Hello, I am Adil. It’s very nice to meet you all and I look forward to lending my help,” he said in a smooth, lightly accented voice. There were various greetings offered in return.

Anacostia nodded. “Thank you for joining us, we’re happy to have you here.” To the team she said, “Adil will be joining us starting next week, after we return from tomorrow’s game. And on that note: go, get some rest, we leave early tomorrow morning.  _ Please _ make sure you have informed your professors if you will be missing class. We will be back Saturday, and you will have plenty of time to make up your classwork on the bus-  _ no _ that is not a suggestion.”

The team was used to Anacostia enough by now to venture a small laugh as they gathered their things and dispersed, along with Adil. She chuckled as they left and turned to gather her own things.

Gradually she became aware of a presence behind her and looked to find Craven waiting there. A bit farther back was the other two-thirds of the Unit, looking pensive.

Anacostia straightened, facing the girls and raising an eyebrow.

“Can I help you, Craven?”

The girl stepped closer, speaking softly.

“Raelle needs the truth. She  _ knows _ something is up, more than she’s being told. And not knowing what is hurting her. She’s a mess, she’s not eating, she hasn't slept in two days. She needs help, but I don’t have anything she wants.  _ You _ do. Tell her the truth, please,” she begged.

Anacostia pursed her lips, looking between all three girls. Collar and the Bellwether didn’t seem to know what their Unit mate was up to, but still they waited for her, following her lead.

_ I distinctly remember wanting these three to get along and work together. This is not what I meant. _

She sighed and said, “There’s nothing I can tell her. As I said, it’s out of my hands, and the full details of the situation are to be kept under wraps.”

Craven’s jaw clenched. “Raelle won’t tell anyone, she barely likes talking to people anyway. She needs  _ something _ , please.”

Anacostia stared at her, annoyed, for several long moments, before finally sighing. She looked at the other two girls and motioned for them to come closer.

As they approached, she reached into a pocket of her bag and pulled out a small, curious-looking object.

Collar stiffened.

  
  


_ Anacostia felt Scylla stiffen beside her suddenly. She followed her gaze and saw a large car approaching- the kind with a decal on the side but no lights on top. _

_ She was surprised when Scylla quickly unpinned the odd little bird skull charm from her chest and pressed it into Anacostia’s hands. _

_ “She made this, for me. I don’t deserve it but I don’t want the suits getting their hands on it. You take it. Keep it, give it to her, I don’t care. She made it for a lie.” Scylla ran her fingers over it, then forced her hands away. _

_ Anacostia tucked it away safely. _

  
  


The little bird skull charm Anacostia now held in her hand pulled a strangled cry out of Collar. Anacostia let her snatch the charm away from her. She held it carefully, running her fingers over every inch of it and examining it closely. Finally she held it clutched in both hands, near her chest, her head bowed.

Her shoulders shook for a moment.

When she looked up her eyes were red but there were no tears.

“How- how do you have this?” she croaked, her voice thick with emotion.

“She gave it to me. When we left the wedding. I got the impression she knew she wouldn’t be coming back.”

Collar stepped closer, past her concerned Unit mates, until she was about an inch away from Anacostia’s face.

“You’re lying. She wouldn’t leave without telling me. She  _ promised _ . She said she  _ loved _ me.”

“She told you what you needed to hear, and so am I: she’s not coming back, Collar. I highly suggest you get used to the idea.” She softened briefly, as fresh grief passed over the girl’s thin face. “I’m sorry,” she said, sincerely.

Collar shook with barely contained emotion, clutching the charm, unable to release a breath. Then all at once she gasped raggedly, letting out a sob, before spinning around and running off in the direction of the gardens.

The Bellweather glared at Anacostia reproachfully before following the fleeing girl; Craven remained, shaking her head.

“Why? Why couldn’t you just tell her the truth?” she asked.

Anacostia looked at her for a moment before turning away to leave.

“I did. That was ‘honest-Scylla’.”

  
  


_ Abruptly, Anacostia said, “I like ‘honest-Scylla’. She’s far more tolerable than whatever that mess was before. A bit dramatic though.” _

_ Scylla chuckled darkly. “I don’t know, she’s new. Who knows what she’ll do next?” Under her breath, but still loud enough for Anacostia to hear, she muttered, “Wish Raelle could’ve met her, not you.” _

_ “I’m starting to think she did.” _

_ Scylla didn’t reply. _

_ The cars pulled up, and many imposing-looking people piled out. Scylla’s spine stiffened, and Anacostia saw her eyes begin to dart around, like a cornered animal. _

_ She put a hand on the girl’s shoulder and whispered in her ear: _

_ “You promised that girl you wouldn’t run, so don’t.” Scylla relaxed a fraction. “Hold on to the part of you that’s good.” _

_ Scylla surrendered. _

~.~

Bridey followed closely behind the Bellweather Unit as they returned to their hotel room for the night. They were quiet and in low spirits, as was the rest of the team.

It had been their first loss of the season.

It was a very close score, but in the end, the Furies hadn’t been able to pull it out. Anacostia hadn’t been mad at all; the girls had worked hard, and losses happened. She knew, and Bridey did as well, that they had given their all, and a loss after that was nothing to be ashamed of.

The girls felt differently.

Dinner had been a late, quiet affair, after which each Unit returned to their rooms for the night, with an early wake time in front of them. Most crashed into bed, tired and dejected from the day’s events.

A few had still been up though.

In the hotel’s common area, Tally was still talking to Glory, congratulating her on her first major bit of play time in a real game. Raelle had been so distracted and lethargic that Anacostia had pulled her out and put Glory in to seal the defensive gap. Glory had done very well in her first game, and Bridey had been impressed.

_ No small feat to be put on the spot like that and do so well. _

She was also concerned for Raelle- whose name she had finally learned- who, according to Abigail, had slept only a handful of minutes in the past few days and ate scarcely. The girl had retired for the night though, hopefully getting some much-needed sleep.

Bridey had been talking to Abigail about the game, giving her some initial feedback before their return to campus where they would break it down further. She was also considering suggesting to bring Libba in as well, with some ideas on how they could work together.

She remembered the screaming match the two had gotten into after the game though, and decided it could wait.

Finally, Tally had bid Glory a goodnight, and Bridey and Abigail had followed her up to the girls’ hotel room, making plans to meet later the following day.

Now they were at the hotel room door though, and something was off.

The door wasn’t shut all the way, the latch resting against the door frame. Bridey watched Abigail and Tally share a look before shoving the door open and walking in.

The room was slightly disheveled: three duffels lay haphazardly on the floor, cleats were scattered around, sweaty jerseys could be seen hung over the edge of the bathtub through the bathroom door, and one of the beds looked like it had been lain in by someone who had tossed and turned several times.

But there was no one here.

It was past curfew now, and any team member caught outside their room at this hour would be written up, possibly suspended.

And Raelle was nowhere in sight.

“Fucking hell, Shitbird. We’re all gonna get busted for this.”

“Come on, Abby, give her a break. She’s exhausted, at the end of her rope. Maybe she just wanted some fresh air?”

But Tally didn’t sound convinced.

While they talked, Bridey poked around the room. On the desk, she found her answer.

There was a map of the nearby area laid out next to a brochure. And out of the brochure pocket someone had pulled a bus schedule.

She cleared her throat to get the girls’ attention. When they saw what she found, they seemed to draw the same conclusions.

“Where is she going to go? Is she out of her mind?? It’s almost midnight!” Abigail was beside herself, trying not to yell loud enough to be heard outside the room. Tally made a concerned face and dove for her duffel, pulling out her wallet.

A few moments was all it took for both girls to realize Raelle had relieved them of their spare cash. But to Bridey’s surprise, neither of them seemed particularly concerned about the theft.

“She’s not thinking clearly, Abigail, she’ll get hurt or  _ worse _ if we don’t find her. She can’t have gotten far, and there’s a bus station not far from here. That’s where she would go.”

Abigail nodded. “Yeah but we’ll never get there before the next bus comes, assuming the schedule is right. Not to mention, getting out without Anacostia knowing.”

The two girls shared a look before turning to Bridey.

_ Fuck me. _

“I can’t take you out of the hotel.”

“It’ll take less than an hour,” Abigail argued.

“I cannot interfere with Anacostia’s rules in any way. That includes breaking curfew. My responsibility is to you alone.”

“And  _ my _ responsibility is to my Unit; keeping them safe and sticking together.”

“You can inform Anacostia the girl is missing-”

“No.” The cut-off came from Tally, stepping forward to stand next to Abigail. “ _ We _ can find her. We are the only ones who will bring her back safe. She’s not trying to cause trouble; she’s alone and confused and scared. She’s suffering.” Tally’s plea was sincere, and Bridey’s mask cracked.

Tally looked at Abigail; there was a wordless exchange.

Then Abigail said, “Bridey, listen: When I first met Raelle, I thought she was a Shitbird that would take my Unit down. But it hasn’t turned out like that.” Abigail paused, as if realizing the words for herself as she spoke them. Bridey’s resolve wavered. “Raelle is my  _ sister _ ,” Abigail continued, her voice strong with conviction. “I know you understand what that means. You weren’t able to save your sister, and I can’t imagine what that feels like.”

_ She was my sister, they all were. _

Abigail was still speaking. “Please don’t make me find out. Let me do what you wanted to do, Bridey. Let me get my girl and bring her home.”

Bridey watched as Tally slipped her hand into Abigail’s, holding tightly.

_ Damn. She learns a little  _ too _ fast. _

She sighed, shaking her head.

“Shit. Let’s go.”

~.~

The bus stop wasn’t far, especially by car and fortunately, Bridey had driven herself behind the team’s bus. Abigail and Tally were hanging out of the front and back passenger windows as they approached the station, squinting through the rain that now fell, and soon all three could see what they were looking for: a lone figure, small and soaked by cold rain, slumped on a bench outside the station, leaning motionless against the wall.

Bridey sat clutching the steering wheel as the other two piled out, racing for their girl. Abigail sat on the bench next to her, pulling her upright and shaking her a little. Tally knelt in a puddle in front of them both, trying to rub warmth back into Raelle’s hands and cheeks. After several moments that felt like years, Raelle stirred.

_ She hasn’t been eating, hasn’t been sleeping. The stress broke her; her body must’ve given out. _

She watched as they talked for a minute, Raelle seeming very groggy. For a moment, she started yelling, but Bridey couldn’t make it out above the sound of the downpour. Quickly though, Raelle ran out of steam and slumped back to the bench, leaning heavily on Abigail and crying.

Tally said something to Abigail, who nodded and stood up, scooping up the crying girl into her arms. They walked quickly back to the car, piling in the back with Raelle huddled between them. Wordlessly, Bridey pulled a silver emergency blanket out of the glovebox and passed it back, watching as the girls unfolded it and wrapped a shivering Raelle in it tightly. They held her between the two of them, with her head tucked beneath Abigail’s chin and Tally’s head on her shoulder, keeping up a steady stream of comforting words.

Abigail met Bridey’s gaze and nodded, the relief plain on her face.

They made it back to the hotel in good time, and the alarm hadn’t been raised. Their absence would go unnoticed. Tally bundled Raelle into the hotel room, quickly finding her some dry clothes to put on and tending to her. Abigail laid a hand on Bridey’s shoulder. When she looked at her charge, Bridey saw all the relief and gratitude there that she imagined Abigail couldn’t even begin to find the words for.

She simply nodded and stood by the door, waiting to make sure they got to bed in one piece.

_ You never know with these girls. _

They crawled into the same bed, ignoring the second one. Tally had the wall, holding Raelle- already passed out dead asleep- in the middle. Abigail, ever the protector, took the outside.

Bridey smiled, flicked the light, and went out the door, replacing the small bit of tape so no one would be the wiser.

She went to bed, knowing those girls would be okay.

They had each other.

Sisters.

~.~

The morning came soon, early dawn light piercing the hotel room and rousing it’s sleepy occupants.

It was a slow, blurry morning, one the Bellweather Unit would be hard-pressed to remember in detail later. Each girl had her own headache, but their thoughts were clear, ordered. 

The daze was gone.

The cloud lifted- no longer obscuring.

The metamorphosis was complete.

~.~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone needs a friend like Tally.
> 
> Our girls are very different now from when we first met them, what will we see from them going forward? We're over half-way done!! :D The further along we get, the further from the source material I have to go because, you know, not actually at war with witch hunters or terrorists. So the interactions between Anacostia and Scylla are here as opposed to later; it flows better. Other changes are for the same reason.
> 
> There's no amount of Denny's in the world that will save me this time, sorry RE <3
> 
> This week's art by [@brunmzz](https://www.instagram.com/brunmzz/?hl=en)! Find more on instagram and share the love :)
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


	7. Crosse Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still dealing with changing dynamics and struggling to make life-changing decisions, the Unit prepares for the start of play-offs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good luck with this.

_ crosse check: a body hit to throw a player off-balance _

The return to campus felt different. Stepping off the bus and collecting their gear, the Bellweather Unit felt like something was off. Everything  _ seemed _ normal- the air was cold and crisp, the walkways were clear of fallen leaves, and students could be seen moving between buildings, bundled up against the chill.

Even the rest of the team, though not as lively as usual,  _ seemed _ the same as they collected their bags and received Anacostia’s instructions for a rest day and then practice tomorrow. 

It wasn’t until they were headed back to Circe, duffels in hand, huddled together against the cold, that they figured it out.

The change was them.

~.~

Raelle still felt raw from last night’s adventures, and walked between Abigail and Tally, trying not to be overwhelmed by the surrounding sights and sounds. She was surprised to realize she didn’t find it overbearing to have them on either side of her; rather, they felt more like a protective buffer. Not smothering her, but putting space between her and all the outside stimuli she couldn’t handle right now.

_ I can’t handle many more changes. What are we? Roommates? Friends? Unit? Fuck, I don’t know. _

She could hear her inner voice whispering something about sisters, but she studiously ignored it. She felt far too emotional and unstable to consider that possibility at the moment. She had just been punished barely a week ago for putting her heart on the line and she wasn’t too keen on trying again so soon.

She couldn’t stop her thoughts from returning to Scylla though, especially once they passed the path leading to the gardens. Raelle fell out of line with her whatever-they-were and lingered, staring longingly at the large tree she hadn’t been able to visit since the wedding. She pulled the coin Scylla had made out of her pocket, running it between her fingers.

Tally noticed first, of course, that she had fallen back. She poked Abigail and they both turned to see where Raelle was staring. They backtracked to her, Tally stopping her fidgeting fingers and Abigail putting a comforting hand on her arm.

“Hey,” Abigail said in the softest voice she had ever used on Raelle. “It’ll be okay.” She rubbed Raelle’s arm reassuringly while Tally offered a small smile and nod of her head. Raelle felt tears prick in her eyes and she shook her head, trying to clear them. The knot of emotion stuck in her throat was too thick for her to speak around, so she simply nodded and allowed them to lead her away.

They walked in silence until they reached the barracks. It was early afternoon but each girl was considering a nap anyway, still feeling exhausted from yesterday’s double events.

However, on arrival at Circe, they discovered an unexpected visitor waiting outside the door.

Adil was looking around as they approached, seeming a little lost, but he smiled when he saw them.

“Hello!” he said with a small wave. “Abigail, Tally, and Raelle, right? I’m learning names.”

“That’s us!” Tally said brightly. “Are you joining us for practice tomorrow?”

“I’ll probably stop by,” he replied. “Like Anacostia said, I’m not really an official staff person or anything. I just am trying to make myself useful while I’m here.” He had a warm voice and a warmer smile that even Raelle couldn’t be irritated by.

“Actually,” he continued, “I’m wondering if you could help me.” He held up a small bag he was carrying. “I was meant to deliver this to Anacostia but I’m afraid I got lost on the way. Do you think you could hand it off to her? I don’t have a key to… what is it called? First Salem?”

“Fort Salem,” Abigail corrected.

“Right, sorry. I don’t have my key yet.”

“Sure, we can drop it off,” Abigail said. “And maybe I could give you a tour of the school later? Help you find your way around,” she added, adopting a slightly flirtatious tone.

Raelle rolled her eyes but Adil responded, “Thank you, I think I would like that.” He tilted his head and gave her a crooked smile in return.

_ Oh, gross. _

Tally giggled behind her hands.

Adil relinquished the bag to Abigail and headed off with a small wave. Raelle and Tally rounded on her.

“You really just flirt with everyone, huh Bellweather?” Raelle accused.

Abigail shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m just being friendly.”

“He’s probably off-limits, Abs,” Tally cautioned.

“Uh, you heard him, he’s not official staff or anything. Just another student. Fair game.”

“Oh, I thought you were just being friendly,” Raelle said in a falsely bright tone. Abigail narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Raelle nodded smugly.

Tally slung an arm around both of their shoulders, pulling them into the building.

“It’s so nice not having you at each other’s throats. So peaceful. Why, I may even get some studying done without having to worry about world war three. Whatever shall I do with all this free time?”

All three chuckled as they ascended to their room. They got inside, dropped their bags, and barely changed out of their road clothes before collapsing into their beds for a well-earned nap.

~.~

A couple days later, there was a change in evening practice. There were some extra people waiting on the field along with Anacostia and Adil, as well as what looked like several full-body dummies laying in the grass. A quick count showed one dummy for each unit.

The girls clustered in, confused and muttering among themselves, waiting for Anacostia to explain.

“Alright, gather ‘round ladies. Today’s practice needs a little explaining,” Anacostia finally said, once everyone was present. “If each unit could please take a place at one of the dummies, thank you.” 

The girls shared confused looks amongst themselves before complying. Abigail, Tally and Raelle gathered around a dummy, which was accompanied by a woman who appeared old enough to be a grad student. She had a clipboard and a bag full of other supplies- rolls of gauze, bandages, braces, ice packs and more.

Raelle felt a sense of dread set in as she figured out what was coming.

Anacostia cleared her throat. “So. Adil here had the idea of teaching you girls the basics of sport medicine, and I like it. This is not an official class or course for which you will receive marks, but rather an introductory session. Though, some of you may decide you wish to pursue it further. We will dedicate today’s practice to the lesson, with light drills at the end, as well as part of one practice per week. Said future practices will be extended hours, and the lesson is optional.”

The team let out surprised murmurs; Anacostia never laid out  _ optional _ practices.

_ I suspect possession by a benevolent spirit. Good for her. _

Raelle smiled at her thought but was still dreading the coming lesson. And she knew with certainty that Abigail would force them to attend the extra lessons.

Anacostia finished her explanations and handed the girls over to Adil and the extra instructors. He would go from group to group to observe each unit, while the grad students- medical sciences- would supervise.

For the first part of practice, the grad students demonstrated various injuries one could sustain in sports and the ways to manage them. They ranged from sprains and pulled muscles all the way to broken bones, slipped disks, and torn ACLs. For each injury, they let the girls practice the proper care on the dummies.

Even though there were no marks, Abigail was still determined to be ‘top of class’, much to Raelle’s irritation.

“Stop glaring at me, Shitbird, and watch Tally wrap this ankle. You’re next.”

“Lighten up, seriously, we’re not even being graded,” Raelle snapped back.

“So? It’s still part of lacrosse practice, apparently, so we will still be giving our one hundred and ten percent,” Abigail replied, still watching Tally.

“You’re really gonna make us do these extra lessons, aren’t you? Even though it’s totally optional and not exactly part of anyone’s curriculum?”

Abigail gave her a thumbs up. “Correct. At least until we know this stuff well enough.”

Raelle twisted her mouth, thinking hard.

_ What to do, what to do? Play dumb? Or keep my free time? _

She chewed her lip, weighing her options.

Finally, she made her decision just as Tally managed to wrap the ‘sprained ankle’ to the grad student’s satisfaction.

_ Fine. Goddammit. Watch and learn, High Atlantic. _

The grad student commended Tally, who beamed at the praise. The student reset the dummy and picked an injury at random, setting everything up for the next user.

Then it was Raelle’s turn.

Instead of tending the dummy’s injury, she asked to see the list the grad student carried. It held every injury the instructors intended to go over, including a few advanced ones for later lessons.

Raelle looked it over, pondering, before laying it aside and kneeling next to the dummy. Making sure she had the grad student, and Abigail’s, attention, she went down the entire list, rattling off the cause, presentation, and treatment of each injury. She demonstrated most of them on the dummy, until it was covered head to toe in bandages, braces, and splints. She used the washable marker to label the spots that would require x-ray or surgery.

It took about ten minutes, all told, for her to complete her lesson. She looked up after she finished and was surprised that she had not only the attention of her instructor and unit, but also the rest of the team, the other grad students, Adil, and even Anacostia. Everyone looked varying degrees of impressed.

She flushed slightly, glaring back at the ground.

“That’s… quite impressive,” her instructor said. “Where did you learn this? I was under the impression you were a Freshman.”

“I am,” Raelle said curtly. “I picked it up.”

“I doubt that. Some of that was a little advanced,” the instructor said, prodding.

Raelle scoffed irritatedly and brushed her off. Looking up finally, she glared between the grad student and Abigail.

“Can I go now?” she asked shortly. Both nodded wordlessly.

“You are excused, Collar,” Anacostia said from somewhere near the sidelines. Adil was smiling his placid smile.

_ Should’ve played dumb, shit. _

She got up and stormed off, leaving her gear and feeling the eyes of her teammates boring into her back as she went.

~.~

As they approached their door, Tally slid in front of Abigail, stopping her.

“Abigail Bellweather, you listen to me,” she began firmly. “Do not barge in and start lobbing questions at her, okay? You know she doesn’t like it, you know she hates people prying, and you know she’s overly rude when she’s angry. Do  _ not _ antagonize her. I  _ will _ have peace in this room. Yes?”

Abigail held her hands up in surrender, wide-eyed. “Yes, Tal, yes, I got it. I wasn’t gonna do anything to her.” She paused, considering. “Well, I might bother her a little bit, but not about whatever that was back there.”

“Acceptable. In we go,” Tally said, throwing the door open.

Raelle was lying on her bed, one arm under her head and the other across her stomach. She was absentmindedly fiddling with her coin in that hand. She had dumped her jacket and busted up cleats on the floor in a way that Tally  _ knew  _ would infuriate Abigail, but she didn’t say anything, hoping it would go unnoticed.

She dropped her and Raelle’s bag by the end of their bunk before sitting on the floor near Raelle’s hip, looking at her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Abigail perch on her own bunk, watching, letting Tally lead. Tally rested her head on Raelle’s blanket, putting on her best puppy dog face.

Finally, Raelle sighed and looked down at Tally, saying, “Can I help you, Leggy?”

“Don’t mind me,” Tally said innocently, batting her eyelashes. “I’m just being very cute and endearing right now. Carry on brooding, I won’t stop you.”

Abigail snorted at that. Raelle just rolled her eyes and turned over, facing the wall. Tally scooched an inch closer.

“I’m still here, Rae. Still looking very adorable. You can’t escape me.” Tally couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she teased Raelle, and she could Abigail chuckle.

“You’re the worst, I hate you,” came the rebuff.

“Do you though?”

Raelle growled in reply.

Finally though, she flipped back over and sat up. She was small enough she could sit up straight on the bottom bunk, where Tally always had to hunch. She scooted over so Tally could sit next to her.

“You guys can sit over here, you know. More head space,” Abigail pointed out.

“I wouldn’t want to get your bed dirty,” Raelle said, “with my… dirtiness.” She shook her head at how lame that sounded.

“Wow. Weak stuff, Rae,” Abigail said. “I’m actually a little disappointed.”

Raelle’s head snapped up right as Tally’s intuition kicked in, but she couldn’t say anything in time.

“Well that’s one thing I’m still good at then!” Raelle shouted.

The room fell silent as Abigail and Tally stared at her. Raelle was breathing hard, red in the face, and very tense. Like she was expecting backlash.

When none came, she relaxed a fraction, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. Tally took that as a sign she could reach her hand out and lay it on Raelle’s back, just below her neck. She felt sad when Raelle flinched at the touch.

_ Rae, I’m not going to be mad at you for being upset. Let me help you. _

They waited silently until Raelle suddenly went limp, the anger and stiffness leaving her all at once. She sagged in her seat, leaning into Tally’s hand. Abigail and Tally continued to wait in silence.

“My mom was a doctor,” Raelle said quietly. “A  _ good _ one. An amazing one. She saved lots of people, made countless lives better. I was always really proud, and I wanted to be just like her.” Raelle paused, staring grimly out the window. “Being one of the best doctors in the country didn’t save her though. Didn’t matter in the end. Just… gone.”

“When?” Abigail asked quietly.

Raelle shrugged. “Little over a year ago. I had just gotten my acceptance here, and the scholarship. She was excited for me to come, but she never even knew I made it in.” Tally saw tears fill her eyes even though she tried to hide them. “I didn’t want to come anymore, what was the point? But she wanted me to, and it was easier for my dad.”

She looked up at Abigail and snapped, “She didn’t do it for money, she did a lot of work pro bono. But we got on okay.”

“I wasn’t thinking that, Rae,” Abigail said, uncharacteristically gentle. Raelle backed off, seeing she wasn’t being attacked.

_ You don’t have to be so guarded with us, Rae. We’re your sisters, we're here for you. _

She squeezed the back on Raelle’s neck gently, nodding for her to continue.

Raelle shook her head. “That’s all there is. She taught me a lot about medicine, especially for sports because I always loved playing. Now I just- don’t care anymore. Why should I? What’s the point?” She glared at her lap, tears rolling down her face. “She wanted me to make something of myself here. A doctor, or professional athlete, or anything really. But I’m a dependable disappointment, I guess.” Her voice cracked as she finished, “I let my mom down, and my dad, and I let Scylla down too.”

Guilt tore at Tally’s heart as she tugged Raelle over, letting the girl cry quietly into her shoulder.

_ No Rae, no, you  _ never _ let Scylla down. You helped her.  _

_ Goddammit, Anacostia. _

When Tally didn’t reply, Abigail spoke up.

“Hey, I know something about being a disappointment,” she said, coming over to sit on the floor in front of them. “And it might be hard to believe, coming from me, but I don’t think you are one. So you don’t want those things anymore, so what? You still  _ try _ , despite not wanting. That’s something. That’s hard. But you do it.”

Abigail reached out, taking one of Raelle’s hands. Raelle's tears slowed a little, and she and Tally waited to hear what she would say next.

“Your mom was the one supporting those goals, right? And she’s gone now. Nobody achieves goals alone. So you just maybe need help with it. The desire could come back. But even if it doesn’t, that’s still okay. Having career goals is my thing, and having experience goals is Tally’s- maybe we just need to find you a new thing,” Abigail suggested.

Tally smiled at her, very proud. The little speech was a bit awkward and disjointed, but the sincerity was there and both Raelle and Tally could feel it. Raelle cracked a tiny smile.

Tally said, “It’s worth bringing up the time you helped Porter. Clearly you still have an instinct for helping people. Well, medically. You’re pretty unapproachable outside of that.” That got a watery chuckle out of Raelle and a hum of agreement from Abigail. “If it’s something you want to pursue then do it, but don’t hold yourself to anybody else’s expectations. And if it’s not something you want, then me and Abby will still support you and help you find a new thing.”

“You haven't let anyone down, Shitbird. Promise.”

Tally smiled at her girls as a little bit of peace settled over the room.

And then Abigail made a crack about Raelle’s height and that was the end of that.

~.~

It was a familiar scene: a crowd of girls filling the bus drop-off area, straining to see down the long drive, a feeling of excitement in the air. Only this time it was fairly cold in this first week of November.

The day after the sport medicine lesson, the majority of the teams at Salem U were gathered once again to welcome the men’s teams from Salem Too. They were coming to support the women’s teams in their final games before play-offs started.

Soon, not soon enough in Raelle’s cold opinion, buses could be seen rounding the bend at the end of the drive, and the girl’s erupted into cheers the same way they did back in September. The buses rolled to a stop in front of them and one by one the men started piling out.

The difference this time around was that there was less a feeling of novelty about it. The last time they had come, the boys felt foreign to the girls. But now, friends had been made and the long season had changed a lot of people. So this time there was less awe and more camaraderie.

Practice had been canceled that evening so the players could mingle, so both colleges’ teams quickly began to disperse to enjoy the night with their friends.

Raelle saw a familiar head of floppy brown hair headed in her direction and smiled, despite trying to look irritated.

“There’s my ray of sunshine!” Byron exclaimed, sweeping her up into a suffocating hug.

“Put me down, asshole,” Raelle demanded, muffled by his jacket. “Ugh, gross, people will think I like you now,” she complained as he set her down.

“Don’t worry, no one who knows you thinks you like people,” he replied.

“Good thing you’re barely a person then.”

They both laughed and she hugged him properly. She had missed his casual air; she found him relaxing to be around. Like she didn’t have anything to prove.

“So,” Byron said, slinging an arm around her shoulder, “I’ve been told that maybe someone isn’t here anymore and not to bring her up, but I’m bringing her up. Should you want to talk, I am your humble servant. Otherwise, we shall pretend nothing is wrong with the world and go about our business as usual.” He paused dramatically. “Making fun of our straight friends.”

Raelle laughed loudly. “Can’t think of a better way to spend the day, really.” 

She caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye and stopped, halting Byron as well. They both looked over to two people standing just behind one of the buses. Raelle could make out Tally and Gerit having a hushed conversation. Gerit was trying to say something but Raelle could tell Tally was uncomfortable and nervous. She was about to step in when suddenly Tally stopped him with a hand on his chest before turning around and leaving quickly.

Byron sighed, “Ah, Gerit. My misguided roommate. He’s not malicious, you know. He’s just an idiot.”

Raelle scoffed, “I believe you, but he still hurt my girl. So he’s dead to me.” She watched Abigail approach him and start yelling, chuckling as he cowered before her. “He might actually be dead to the Bellweather in a minute.”

Byron shrugged, “Cool, I get my own room then.” As they started walking away, Bron glanced down at Raelle. “Your girl, huh? That’s different.”

Raelle scowled and blushed. “Whatever, don’t make a thing about it you tit.”

“Me? Never. For you though, I will make it a thing, don’t you worry Sunshine.”

“I didn’t miss you at all.”

“I brought you the Codices though.”

“I am suddenly glad you’re here.”

They both laughed as they headed off into Fort Salem, Raelle feeling lighter already.

~.~

Abigail finished yelling and Gerit and let him scurry away.

_ I knew he was an idiot, but never how much of one. He better leave Tally alone or I’ll string him up by his toes. Idiot. _

She rolled her eyes and started heading back to her dorm, thinking she’d get some studying done. Along the way, she was approached by Clive and Augustin, both of whom were very happy to see her. She played along, flirting back at them, but her heart wasn’t in it. She didn’t much feel like playing boy games anymore.

When they offered to be “of service”, she briefly considered it. It wouldn’t be a bad way to let off steam. But in the end she teased them, saying she’d think about it, and sent them on their way.

Then she went to find Adil.

Over the past week that he’d been there, she’d felt herself inexplicably drawn to him. He was handsome, yes, but there was more than that. Something about his calm demeanor and gentle smile drew her in, and she found herself wanting to know more. She’d been flirtatious when she had shown him around Salem U, but she was uncertain if he’d been receptive or not. Nothing seemed to phase him.

She found him as he was leaving Fort Salem, greeting the incoming visitors with his usual friendly smile. Abigail found she liked the way he was approachable and welcoming to everyone, always offering a smile or kind words.

When he caught sight of her his smile widened, and Abigail tried to figure out if that meant anything. He came over, stopping in front of her with his signature warm smile.

“Hey, Abigail. Fancy seeing you here,” he said. “Welcoming the men’s teams?”

_ He doesn’t  _ sound  _ jealous. He would if he was interested, right? _

“Actually, I was coming to find you. See if you needed help with anything. I’m pretty free today,” she said smoothly.

His smile seemed to brighten, which Abigail took as a good sign.

_ Well he’s friendly to everybody, so maybe that doesn’t mean much. _

_ Gotta start somewhere though. _

“That’s nice of you,” he said. “I’m actually going to pick up my sister, would you like to join me? I would enjoy your company.”

_ He said  _ my _ company, not ‘company’ in general. _

_ Wait, what sister? _

“What sister?”

He chuckled, “My sister Khalida. Come with me, I’ll tell you about her.”

As they walked towards the human sciences building, Adil gave Abigail the whole story.

His sister was a child prodigy and even though she was very young, she had been offered a place at Salem U to study medicine, for which she had an aptitude. Adil was here as her caretaker, but had also been offered a place to take classes as well at the traditionally all-female college.

They had come from a small country in eastern Asia, and so far he loved all the new things he was experiencing in the west. The culture and people were very different, he said, and fascinating. Sports, for example, were not so heavily glorified where he was from. But he was adapting well and was appreciative of the opportunity he and his sister had here.

The more he talked, the more Abigail was drawn to him. She’d never heard anyone talk with such appreciation of life before, except maybe Tally. But Tally sounded more innocent and inexperienced, where Adil sounded far more worldly. Yet he still seemed happy about his life around him.

It was refreshing for her to be around someone who seemed so… free.

As they approached the human science building, Abigail received a text from Tally:

_ Gerit came by to talk but I’m tired of talking. Stressed though, gonna take it out on him. Stay out for a while. _

Abigail stopped in her tracks, rereading the message several times.

_ Okay, she’s maybe not so innocent or naive anymore. _

~.~

They found Khalida in the human sciences building, talking to Raelle and Byron. Well, it seemed mostly Raelle and the young girl were talking, while Byron looked on with puzzled amusement. Raelle, for her part, looked plenty confused as well as she spoke to the girl.

As they got closer, Abigail realized they were discussing the recent change to the practice schedule, with Khalida seeming fascinated by the material. She asked incredibly intelligent questions of Raelle and displayed an impressive grasp of the subject matter, despite being only thirteen or so.

Abigail was amused that her usually tight-lipped sister was so caught off-guard by this young girl that she was offering up sincere, full answers, all while looking bewildered.

Once Abigail and Adil approached the table the other three were sitting at, the interrogation ceased and Khalida turned her attention to the newcomers.

“Adil!” the girl exclaimed as she hopped off her stool and jogged around the table. “You’re late but that’s okay. I was talking to Raelle and she knows a good amount of medicine for never having studied. I think she’ll do really well with it as her major, once she decides to do it.”

Abigail’s eyebrows rose in surprise as she turned her gaze to Raelle. She looked back almost helplessly, shrugging. Byron was holding back laughter.

“I’m sorry, Raelle,” Adil said, “once my sister has an idea about something, she’s very insistent about it.”

Raelle just shook her head, still somewhat speechless.

“You must be Abigail,” Khalida said, abruptly changing the subject. “Adil mentioned you.” The little girl looked Abigail over. “More than once.”

Adil cleared his throat suddenly. “Right, you said I was late, didn’t you? We need to get back to our room and find something to eat. You might be feeling confident about exams, but you still are going to study.” There was a light flush on his face as he nudged his sister towards the door.

“Well you did,” Khalida muttered as she started heading out.

Adil sighed, shaking his head. “Sisters,” he said to Abigail.

“Yeah, I get it,” she replied, nodding toward Raelle, who looked away, disconcerted. “I’ll walk you out, they can handle themselves,” she said, pointing her thumb at Raelle and Byron. Adil nodded and smiled.

As they headed back through the building, Adil said, “I’ve heard about how you and your Unit were at the start of the training season. Anacostia speaks of it how I’ve heard soldiers tell war stories,” he chuckled.

Abigail rolled her eyes. “Yeah, it was pretty ugly. It’s better now though. I was… rough to be around,” she said regretfully.

Adil stopped at the outer door and placed a hand on her arm.

“We all need to grow, Abigail. And it seems like you have grown a lot. I have seen you on and off the field- you are a strong leader, and a good teammate. They look up to you. That is something to be proud of,” he said, smiling softly.

Abigail felt her heart stutter a bit in her chest at his words. She realized how close they were standing, and she could feel the warmth of his hand seeping through her jacket sleeve. She bit her lip and smiled when he glanced down at the action.

The kiss was short and very chaste, but it was the sweetest, warmest kiss Abigail had ever received.

When they parted, she tingled from head to toe and she was glad Raelle wasn’t around to see the stupid grin on her face. She was somewhat relieved to see the same grin on Adil’s face as well and she smiled even more when his hand slipped into hers.

_ He’s… really sweet. I don’t think I’ve ever liked someone like this- where I didn’t just want to bring them back to my room and have done with it. _

_ I… wouldn’t mind exploring this more. _

Still smiling and hand-in-hand, they exited the building, Abigail happy to walk with him and his sister a little while longer. When she saw them, Khalida rolled her eyes and continued walking, muttering something under her breath. The pair just laughed and blushed.

As they walked, Abigail said, “I’m glad you said those things, by the way. About being a leader and all. I try to be but sometimes I think maybe I’m not so good at it. Especially when I first got here- couldn’t get Raelle to do a thing I said. She does now though, sort of.”

“Why do you think that changed?”

“Not sure. She decided to try I guess. And definitely to toot my own horn, but I  _ am _ pretty good at lacrosse. Maybe she thought she could learn something?” She shrugged nonchalantly.

“Maybe…” he said noncommittally. “You said you were relieved, though. Why is that?”

They were coming to a split in the path where Abigail would have to leave and return to her dorm. Though she would’ve liked to spend more time with Adil, maybe even see if a date could be in order, she had classwork to finish and exams to study for.

They paused at the fork and faced each other, chuckling as Khalida sighed and went on ahead.

Abigail finally replied, “Well, leadership, among other qualities, are the things they really look for at West Point. If I want to succeed there I need to demonstrate strong leadership. Also strength, willpower, dedication- I really think this season has helped me develop those skills a lot. I feel like I’ll be ready to… move there next year…”

She trailed off as she finished, the words sinking in for the first time.

_ Damn. I’m going to miss this place. Tally… Even my Shitbird… My sisters. I hope, I dunno, I hope it doesn’t change too much between us. _

She frowned at the small inner voice suggestions she stay.

Adil looked curious, when she looked back at him. His head was tilted and his brow was slightly furrowed.

“Sorry, what’s West Point? And why would you be leaving here? I thought you liked it here.”

“I do!” she said quickly. “I like it here a lot, and my Unit. I’m… sad to leave them, to my utter surprise,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. “But everyone in my family goes to and graduates from West Point. It’s tradition, and a high honor.”

“I see,” Adil said uncertainly. “I can understand family tradition. But what about what you want? What if you want to stay here? With your team and your Unit.”

She scoffed, “It’s not about what I want.” It came out a little more harshly than she intended, but she was starting to feel bitter about her whole situation.

Adil looked disconcerted. “Your life should be about what you want, Abigail, and your family should support that.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, it’s not my place to speak on your family, maybe, but I see so much potential in you that I’d hate to see you waste any of it on something you weren’t passionate about.”

“I  _ am _ passionate about this. I’ve worked for it my whole life.”

“Because you want it, or because someone told you to want it?”

“You sound like Tally now.”

“She’s not usually wrong, I’ve heard.”

They stood in silence for a moment. Abigail let his hand slide from hers and crossed her arms over her chest, feeling suddenly unsure. And when she felt unsure she always defaulted to defensive.

“I’m sorry,” Adil said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He sounded genuinely regretful, and Abigail wasn't sure how to handle that. No one had ever really taken her feelings and wants into account before, let alone asked her about them, but since coming to Salem U she had now met several- Tally and Adil at the top of that list.

“I’m fine, stop worrying so much,” she snapped.

He frowned. “I’m not worried, Abigail. I care. About you. It saddens me that you don’t seem to know what that looks like.” He shook his head and looked away for a moment. When he looked back he said, “I’m starting to realize you spend your life trying to be what other people want you to be. Maybe you don’t even know what you really want; how would you?”

Abigail couldn’t respond. He picked up her hand and kissed it, holding it gently.

“I like you, Abigail, a lot. The parts that I’ve seen that are one hundred percent Abigail Bellwether are pretty amazing. But many times she gets buried.  _ She’s _ the one I want to be with. I wish you would let her out more. Not just for me, but for you as well.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek, then turned and left, catching up with his sister way down the path.

Abigail stood there for several moments, watching their figures disappear around a bend. Doubt and anger swirled in her mind, clouding her thoughts.

_ He can’t judge me, he doesn’t even know me. _

_ Yeah I think that was the point. _

_ I can barely handle Tally throwing this kind of stuff at me, and now he’s going to do it too? _

_ Wow, sucks having people who genuinely care. Even Raelle is ready to throw hands with your mom sometimes. _

_ Shut up. I’m handling myself. My grades are perfect, my physical condition is perfect, I’m going to West Point, graduating, and carrying on the family tradition. _

_ You don’t want to. A taste of freedom and people who love you and now- _

_ Shut up. _

She went back to her dorm, intending to study. Instead she ended up laid out on her bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to calm the storm of emotions and jumbled thoughts in her mind.

~.~

The rest of the week went fairly smoothly. The team was strong and steady and the last practices before Friday’s game went very well. The game itself, the last before play-offs began, was a far-cry from the previous week. It was a decisive victory for Salem U, and the girls celebrated loudly when they got home.

Raelle had been feeling a little better each day, though Scylla’s absence still ached in her chest. Still, she felt like celebrating with her teammates for once so she attended the impromptu party in Fort Salem. She danced with Tally and Abigail, and even allowed Byron into their little circle. She would miss him again, annoyingly, when he left in the morning.

She and Tally were both surprised when Clive and Agustin approached Abigail but were quickly dismissed. They shared a look but didn’t say anything to her when she returned.

Later, the three of them stumbled into their room, laughing and fumbling for the light. They joked as they got ready for bed, feeling lighter than they had in awhile.

For the first time, Raelle was looking forward to the long haul of play-offs and the championship. She felt like they had a chance.

~.~

_ Raelle snagged two glasses of champagne off of a tray as she made her way back to the table. Scylla was still waiting there, looking breathtakingly beautiful in her dress- something Raelle had been sure to tell her many times already. She set the drinks down, smiling at her girlfriend, and straightened her suit jacket a little. She felt stiff in the fancy material, but it fit well at least. _

_ The wedding party was in full swing around them, with a great many Bellweathers and their equally numerous guests filling the tables and the dance floor. Far too high class for Raelle’s tastes, but a party is a party and at least Scylla had found a way to come keep her company. _

_ “Sorry I left you earlier,” Raelle said, taking a drink from her glass. “Weddings are way worse than I thought. You okay though?” _

_ “Yeah,” Scylla replied. “Anacostia is intense,” she said emphatically. Raelle nodded her agreement. “She said something interesting, though,” Scylla continued. “Evidently you are a very gifted player.” _

_ Raelle’s glass froze halfway to her lips. “There’s no way she said that.” _

_ Scylla just smiled and shrugged. _

_ After a moment, Scylla said softly, “Thank you for what you said.” _

_ Raelle squinted her eyes, smirking. “And what did I say?” _

_ Scylla blushed, flustered, “You know…” _

_ “The girlfriend part?” Raelle said, putting her hands on Scylla’s waist and pulling her closer. _

_ Scylla giggled and bit her lip. “Yeah, the girlfriend part.  _

_ She slid her arms up to circle Raelle’s neck, leaning against her. Raelle’s arms wrapped around her waist securely, holding her close. She bent her head to Scylla’s neck, running her nose along her skin. She trailed up to her ear, planting little kisses. _

_ “Of course, Scyl,” she whispered. “I promised, didn’t I? I’m with you.” _

_ She felt Scylla cling to her more tightly and she raised her head to meet her eyes. The love she saw there was bright and overwhelming. She leaned in to press her lips gently to Scylla’s, feeling them part slightly. The kiss was soft and sweet, filling Raelle with warm from the top of her head clear down to her toes.  _

_ She felt Scylla smile against her lips and she chuckled, pulling away. Scylla was gazing at her adoringly, and Raelle felt all the love she had been trying to repress swell in her heart, threatening to burst. _

I love her, I love her, I love her.

  
  


“I love you, Scylla, I love you, I’m so sorry.” The words slurred coming out of Raelle’s mouth, as she was dragged out of her dream by a rough hand shaking her awake. She cracked her eyes open, surprised to realize she was crying, and looked up to see Tally standing over her.

“Wake up, Anacostia wants us.”

Raelle pushed herself up onto her elbows, trying to get her bearings. She was completely disoriented, still half in her dream about Scylla. She desperately wanted to shut her eyes and go back there; she could still feel Scylla’s arms around her, could still feel Scylla’s lips pressed against hers.

More tears leaked from her eyes as she staggered out of bed, feeling blindly for the coin sitting on her side table. She clutched it tightly, feeling Tally rest a hand on her back.

“Rae, what’s wrong? Abigail, come here, something’s wrong.”

She vaguely heard Abigail come over and kneel next to her, trying to feel her forehead and check for injury.

“Raelle? Talk to us, tell us what happened.”

Somewhere down the hall, someone could be heard yelling through a bullhorn. Doors were opening and people could be heard stumbling out of rooms.

“I pro- I promised,” Raelle choked out. “I promised her, I said I would be there for her.” Raelle gasped, fighting to breathe and surged to her feet. She swayed unsteadily, knocking into Tally who tried to catch her.

In the hall, the yelling grew louder as whoever had the bullhorn got closer. They recognized Anacostia’s voice.

“Good morning, ladies, let’s go! On the field in ten minutes or you can watch the play-offs from the bench! Time is a false concept; we do not need the sun! Anyone not on the field before the first rays hit the grass can hang up her jersey!”

“What the fuck?” Abigail said, running to the door and poking her head out.

Meanwhile, Tally was clutching an unsteady Raelle, keeping her upright. Raelle tried to fight her off but she was unnervingly weak. Her chest heaved with every sob, her mind still clung to her dream. The scent of Scylla’s hair was still fresh in her mind.

“Let me go, Tally, I saw her, I want to go back. I  _ promised _ I would.”

Tally managed to gather the crying girl against her chest.

“Oh, Rae.” She kissed her head. “No, that was a dream, Scylla’s not here anymore remember?”

“No…” Raelle whispered. She squeezed her eyes shut, desperately trying to go back to her dream, where she hadn’t yet failed Scylla. But the yelling in the hallway and the sound of pounding feet was grounding her in the present.

Abigail returned. “Guys, Anacostia’s coming. One of the Juniors said it’s like this every year. Practice gets more intense starting with play-offs week.”

“Abby, Raelle can’t train right now, she can barely stand.”

“I can  _ see  _ that Tal. I’m just telling you what I heard. What do we do?”

Raelle wiped the tears from her eyes, finally getting her feet solidly beneath her. She looked up in time to see Anacostia throw their door open, a stream of girls sliding behind her.

Raelle’s rage snuck up on her all at once, too much to contain.

“You! You did it! You took her! You made me a liar!” she shouted in her fury. Tally, who still had hold of her shoulders, gripped her tightly to keep her from flying forward.

Thunder crashed outside. An unexpected storm was rolling in.

Anacostia looked her over, taking in her disheveled appearance. For a moment, her face looked concerned.

Suddenly, Raelle found herself crashing into Abigail as Tally shoved her over to their unit mate. Abigail barely caught her in time as Tally stormed over to Anacostia, jersey in hand.

She shoved the jersey toward Anacostia and spat, “I’m telling her. Now. I don’t care. She's more important to me than this shirt.”

Anacostia gave her a long look before pushing her hand away. She didn’t take the jersey. She sighed and entered the room, shutting the door as the last girl rushed down the hallway, descending the stairs.

“Ladies. What I am about to tell you does not leave this room. Far worse consequences than removal from the team await you if you disobey that instruction. The feds do not want this information going public.”

A light bulb went off in Abigail’s head. “Oh my  _ fucking _ god,” she said, nearly dropping Raelle. “Are you shitting me?” She whispered loudly, incredulous.

Anacostia continued, dropping the biggest truth bomb any of the Bellweather Unit had ever heard.

But Raelle was barely listening.

Her eyes were fixed on Tally.

Tally, who had held and comforted her for weeks, since Scylla disappeared.

Tally, who stood by the door looking straight back at Raelle, the plea in her eyes changing quickly to despair as Raelle’s fury shifted targets.

Tally, who had known  _ exactly _ what had happened to Scylla.

She had known the whole time.

~.~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well if you're still here, I'm happy to say we are _officially_ past the bulk of the angst. Gotta resolve that lil cliffhanger, but we are definitely on the upward climb now kids.
> 
> Originally, I was going to make the military the thing that push Adil and Abigail apart, like the show. But I also think the show did a pretty good job of showcasing that on its own so I decided to veer in a different direction that fit my story a little better.
> 
> Surprise Raylla because I miss them. Also, Episode 7, you know the scene.
> 
> This week's magnificent art brought to you by yet another very talented artist. You can find her on Instagram at [trishuuhhhh](https://www.instagram.com/trishuuhhhhh/), Tumblr at [enteringavandlismofworstandcute](https://enteringavandlismofworstandcute.tumblr.com/), and on Twitter [@thoughtshere_s](https://twitter.com/thoughtshere_s)  
> . Spread the love guys.
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


	8. Offsides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raelle comes to terms with Scylla's deception and decides once and for all if she will accept her unit's love.
> 
> Abigail finally considers a new path in life.
> 
> Tally is just trying to keep everyone together long enough to survive the semester.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all we are so close to the end, and it's time now for Citydrop (aka the play-offs). Like I said last chapter, we are past the majority of the angst now, so it should be a little easier going forward. Mostly. :)
> 
> Editing: yolo
> 
> Disclaimer: tw accidental self-injury. It's nothing graphic or gory, just some small cuts on a hand. If you want to skip it, the section starts after the news broadcast and goes to the following page break. Also, tw blood in the art at the end of the fic.

_ offsides: too many players _

_ I knew telling her was a mistake. I told Craven that. And I told Scylla that  _ not _ telling her was a mistake. Why does no one listen to me? _

It had been a few days since Anacostia had dropped the truth about Scylla onto the Bellweather Unit, and to say it hadn’t gone over well would be an understatement.

She had half-expected Raelle not to show up to practice that following day, but she had shown and even been on time, to Anacostia’s (private) astonishment. But it seemed the bond between the Bellweather Unit had fractured, and it came out on the field.

For once, it was the Bellweather keeping her unit mates in line- something not easily done from the head of the field. At first the three had worked in stony silence, but that had changed once Craven had paused between plays to say something to Collar.  _ She _ snapped back at Craven and there followed an all-out verbal assault, mostly on Collar’s end, which brought practice to a grinding halt as the Bellweather tried to separate them.

“Let me explain, Rae!” a distraught Craven exclaimed.

“No, I trusted you!” Collar shouted, shoving her unit mate away.

“I wanted to tell you-”

“You watched me suffer, you knew what happened this entire time!”

Craven grabbed Collar’s hands, pleading, “No, I didn’t know what would happen to her I swear- please Raelle!”

But Collar snatched her hands away with a yell.

Anacostia finally silenced them with a decent-sized bucket of water.

Incensed, she had then set the three girls running laps until well past the end of practice. Once she had finally released them, they had staggered off the field dragging their gear behind them.

But Collar hadn’t returned to Circe.

Anacostia had it on good authority that the girl was not sleeping in her room, but instead was now camping out in Fort Salem. There was technically no rule against it but Anacostia would have preferred Collar sleep in her own bed, which was likely more restful than a couch. On the other hand, she wasn’t sure the rest of the team would get much sleep either if the full force of an angry Raelle Collar was loose in the barracks.

The girl was a storm in her own right.

Things decidedly did  _ not _ improve after that first day, though the team was able to get through the rest of the week’s practices without further incident. There was no denying, however, that the once smooth-running powerhouse that was the Bellweather Unit had lost its edge, and they left a noticeable hole in the team’s coverage.

She was  _ not _ pleased with the current state of her team, but she could only hope that this Unit could pull their shit together before it cost them a game.

The play-offs were single-loss elimination.

There was no room for mistakes now.

~.~

Abigail didn’t even bat an eye when Raelle stormed into their room Friday morning to change her clothes and retrieve her gameday gear. She’d been doing similar for the whole week- only visiting their dorm room to change clothes or collect and dump school things. She’d storm in, shower if she needed, take and leave what she wanted, and storm out, never once acknowledging Tally’s repeated attempts to talk to her.

Abigail had since stopped taking notice of this extended tantrum, and instead was now preoccupied by another concerning realization.

Adil was avoiding her.

Since their talk outside the Human Sciences building, Adil had avoided her texts and her attempts to talk to him outside of practice. She’d tried to approach him more than once, only for him to rebuff her gently and leave. She knew she wasn’t imagining anything either, because more than once she’d caught him watching her, looking like he wanted to say something. But each time he would eventually notice he had her attention and look away.

It was maddening.

_ This is absurd. If he’s not interested anymore, fine. I don’t have time to chase down some boy who won’t give me the time of day. I have finals  _ and _ championships coming up. No time for distractions. _

But still, she often found herself thinking about Adil, and the things he had said to her.

_ He doesn’t understand. Him and Tally and the rest- they don’t know what my family is like. What my  _ mother _ is like. I’ve been working toward the military family tradition my whole life; I can’t just drop it on a whim. Because I feel like doing something else. Mom would practically disown me. _

_ Maybe she would be okay with putting it off a little? Salem U is an excellent school, might not be any harm getting some classes out of the way; waiting until I’m in even better condition to move on to West Point. _

_ Yeah I’ll just be sure to bring that up from a safe distance… _

_ I shouldn’t… It’s not right that I should be afraid to bring something up with her. Especially when it concerns  _ my _ future. _

_ I’m not  _ afraid _ , I am picking my battles. The future laid out for me is a  _ good _ one, and I should be grateful for the opportunity, not trying to weasel my way out of it. _

Abigail shook her head roughly, clearing her mind of her internal debate. It simply kept repeating itself, however, all throughout the day. She couldn’t keep her thoughts ordered as she usually did, or block out the advice her inner voice bombarded her with- advice that sounded suspiciously like Tally and Adil’s voices.

She was finally shaken all the way out of her thoughts later that evening, when none other than Libba Swythe plunked herself down on Abigail’s bench in the visitor’s locker room.

It was nearly time to take the field for pre-game warm ups and Abigail had been waiting for her desynchronized unit mates to get ready. Typically, they would head out together. However, once Raelle had laced up her tattered cleats and collected her mask, mouth-guard and crosse, she departed the locker room. Tally watched her go, a sad look on her face.

Abigail shook her head at the whole thing, right about the time Libba sat down next to her.

“Your Unit’s a mess, Bellweather. What gives?”

Abigail glared at her. “Shove off, Swythe. Foul up someone else’s air.”

Libba held her hands up in mock-surrender.

“What’s wrong, we can’t have some friendly conversation before the game?” she said, smirking.

Abigail rolled her eyes and didn’t respond, keeping an eye on Tally instead. The girl was dejectedly pulling on her cleats and straightening her jersey, getting ready to head out. Through the door, Abigail could see Raelle standing on the hill leading down to the field, head back and staring at the sky.

She sighed, “Shit, we are a mess. What the fuck happened to us?”

Libba nodded and patted Abigail on the back.

“Yep, you guys probably suck now. It happens. Keep them together on the field though, yeah? You probably can, maybe.”

With that, Libba departed with her Unit, leaving Abigail more confused than ever.

Quickly enough, she shook it off and towed Tally outside to join the rest of the team in warm-ups. As she stretched her body and got her blood pumping, she felt herself wake up and her senses sharpen. The imbalance between Tally and Raelle faded to the back of her mind.

They had a game to win.

~.~

They were not going to win this game.

It was half-time, and the Furies were down. The girls knelt or sat in a bunch around their bench, watching Anacostia and the co-captains argue about plays.

Abigail gulped down water and poured some over her head as she watched her unit mates argue in hushed voices. It seemed Raelle was tired enough for Tally to coax her into a dialogue.

“I’m sorry, Rae, really. I wish you would believe me- I  _ never _ wanted to lie to you. I wanted to tell you from the start what I saw, but Anacostia wouldn’t let me. She threatened to throw me off the team or worse.”

“Guess we know what was more important then,” Raelle said, but her heart wasn’t in it.

_ You know that’s not true, Shitbird. Tally was going to hand in her jersey for you. _

She could tell Raelle realized that from her lack of malice. Still, it didn’t seem to be adding much in Tally’s favor.

“Nothing’s more important to me than you and Abigail, Rae. Oh, and Glory,” she added quickly, looking at the girl she was sitting back-to-back with. Glory raised her water bottle in acknowledgement. Back to Raelle, she continued, “I was just trying to protect you. I didn’t know what to do, and Anacostia said it would be easier for you this way. I hoped she would be right; now I know better.”

Very hesitantly, Tally reached out and laid a hand on Raelle’s knee. Raelle glared at it and tensed up, but she didn’t swat it away.

“She would never betray me, Tally,” Raelle said firmly. She clutched her coin tightly in her hand, finger tracing over an ‘S’ burned into one side. “She told me she  _ loved _ me.”

“I know, and I believe her. I think  _ she _ was trying to protect you too.”

Raelle frowned, doubt clouding her anger. She looked away from Tally, ending the conversation.

Tally kissed her fingertips and pressed them to the side of Raelle’s head- the closest she knew she would be able to get.

“I love you, Rae. And I am  _ always _ looking out for you. Promise.”

With that, Tally also fell silent, leaning back heavily against Glory who reached back to take Tally’s hand, lacing their fingers together.

Abigail was surprised by her lack of surprise when Libba once again slid into the spot next to her.

“Still a mess I see. They’re both thick,” Libba said.

Abigail shook her head but didn’t reply; she knew the progress her girls had just made, even if it wasn’t obvious to anyone else.

“So,” Libba continued, dropping her voice to a low volume, “there’s a few minutes left of half-time, and our illustrious co-captains have yet to settle on a course of action. You thinking what I’m thinking?”

Abigail gave her a long look. “Well  _ I’m _ thinking I’m about to suggest a change to our current team set-up. What are  _ you _ thinking?”

“I’m thinking, if the team was set up a little differently right now, we might have a shot at a come-back. Of course, I should be the one leading the attack, since it was my idea.”

Abigail thought for a minute and said, “Okay, deal. I’ll set it up, you carry it out.”

Libba looked surprised when Abigail didn’t argue further, but she nodded and stuck her hand out.

“Deal.”

They shook on it.

~.~

They won the game.

It had been a close call, and had taken quite a bit of finagling, but in the end- the Furies pulled it out.

Due in no small part to the unexpected teamwork of Libba Swythe and Abigail Bellweather.

At first, Anacostia had been reluctant to let a pair of Freshman shake up her game plan so thoroughly, but as half-time had drawn to a close, she and the two captains decided to give it a shot.

Why not? They were already losing.

In a stunning display of asset management, the Bellweather had talked Collar into sitting out the second half. Anacostia was somewhat impressed to learn the girl had even more rage stored inside her- seemingly it was not a finite resource. 

Before she had gone too far off the handle though, the Bellweather had dragged her off to the side, whispering feverishly into her ear. In under a minute she had agreed to stand down, parking herself on the bench to intermittently rattle off disparaging remarks to her tallest unit mate.

The next change had been to put Moffet in- someone Craven would be able to work with, and who the Bellweather could still manage easily enough. At first, they could barely drag the shocked and cringing Moffet to her feet as she protested being thrown into the fire. Eventually though, Craven had been able to talk her around, with the Bellweather’s help.

With that, the Bellweather announced the final part of the change-up: she would step back and let the Swythe lead the attackers from the front, while she would take a slightly more removed position to help manage the rest.

Anacostia had taken a full minute to respond.

To change the line up this much in the  _ play-offs _ was unheard of, and really a terrible idea all around. But she was impressed that the two foes had been able to put their animosity aside long enough to come up with such an ambitious plan. And the co-captains hadn’t hated it.

With a shake of her head- and about half a minute of half-time left- Anacostia had agreed, and sent the team out with a comment that they should be proud no matter what the final score.

Months ago, Anacostia had theorized that if the Bellweather and Swythe ever got their shit together long enough to collaborate, they’d be unstoppable.

She did love being proven right.

~.~

Raelle returned to sleeping in her own bed after that game. She still wasn’t ready to forgive Tally, because doing that would require acknowledging an awful truth. One that would hurt even more than Tally’s perceived betrayal.

Nevertheless, regardless of her continued silence toward her unit mates, Raelle resumed sleeping in their room and practicing alongside them. She still preferred to study on her own though, so about mid-week she found herself curled up on a couch in Fort Salem, reading through her anatomy textbook and trying not to hear Scylla’s voice explaining the dense material to her. 

There were a few other students in the clubhouse, all similarly engrossed in their school work. Finals loomed in the near-future and the teams were using every bit of limited free time to prepare. Bad grades were a one-way ticket to being kicked off a team, and no one was taking the chance.

The TV droned quietly in the background, providing a little noise in the quiet atmosphere. Until, that is, someone suddenly exclaimed, “Oh shit, guys, look at this!”

The clubhouse occupants looked up one by one, eyes refocusing on the room around them, and turned to look at the TV. It was switched to a news channel, and the leading story was what had evidently caught the excited student’s attention.

Raelle tuned in along with everyone else and listened in stunned silence as the newswoman declared that the fraudulent betting ring that had hit so many colleges and universities across the country had suddenly and quickly been dismantled, thanks in large part to an inside source. Her voice was calm and mellow as she read off the story, a stark contrast to the excited and stunned murmurs now circulating the room.

Raelle rose from her seat, leaving her books behind, and walked out of the room.

She didn’t see the tall figure in the stairwell doorway follow her.

~.~

Raelle walked across the lacrosse field in a daze, not really knowing where she was going. She let her feet carry her where they wanted while thoughts ran wild and unchecked in her mind.

_ No. NO. It can’t be true. It’s just a coincidence. _

Even as she tried to convince herself of that, the more rational part of her mind knew better.

_ Scylla… no…  _

She realized belatedly her feet were carrying her to the large tree in the gardens.

Their tree.

She hadn’t been able to go there since Scylla had disappeared because the memories of her had been too painful. Now they would be painful for another reason.

_ All lies? All of it? Was anything real? _

The truth of the situation shook Raelle to her core and stole the breath from her lungs. She braced a hand against the tree, gasping for air. She sank down to her knees as her eyes filled with tears and emotions rolled around in her stomach, making her dry heave.

_ Why, why did she do this? She promised. She  _ lied.

Raelle let out an angry yell and punched the tree as hard as she could. Once, twice, a third time. Oddly, the sudden pain helped clear her head a bit and she was able to get her breath back. She stared at her bleeding knuckles with unseeing eyes.

_ Ignorance wasn’t bliss and neither is this. _

She may have stood there for hours, thoughts running in circles, if someone hadn’t come up behind her and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

She whirled around, ready to snap at Tally to go away- because of course it would be Tally- but-

It wasn’t Tally.

Anacostia stood there, one eyebrow raised, taking in Raelle’s red eyes and sluggishly bleeding hand. She sighed and shook her head, gesturing toward the roots of the tree where they both could sit. Raelle suddenly felt exhausted and not much like fighting, so she acquiesced.

They sat in silence for several moments while Raelle tore strips out of her already-torn t-shirt to wrap around her hand. Then a few more moments while they both stared up into the drooping boughs of the tree.

Finally, Anacostia said, “That little scrape won’t get you out of practice, Collar.”

Raelle snorted and replied, “I don’t think an earthquake would. You’d just call it ‘agility training’ or something.”

“You’re learning.”

Many more moments passed in silence before either spoke again.

“I’m… an  _ idiot _ ,” Raelle said fiercely, trying not to cry. “Just,  _ so _ stupid.”

“You’re not an idiot, Collar. You’re human.”

“Everything was a lie, wasn’t it? She just- used me.”

Anacostia paused for a long moment before she replied.

“...No. Not all of it. She loves you- that part’s real.”

“ _ Was _ real,” Raelle said.

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

“Well, she’s dead to me now,” Raelle stated, but her voice shook.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that either,” Anacostia tossed back. She looked at Raelle finally. “So quick to write people off. Sometimes people who love you do things that end up hurting you. People make mistakes. It’s part of being human- that thing that you also are.”

Anacostia stood and brushed herself off, taking a few steps away from the tree.

She continued, “Let people be human, Collar. Let them make mistakes. Learn to forgive- starting with yourself.”

Raelle didn’t respond so Anacostia started to leave. A few feet away, however, she paused and turned back.

She called out, “Actually, start with Craven. I can’t stand her sad face anymore. Should be considered psychological warfare. Pretty sure it’s a violation of the Geneva Convention.”

Raelle finally laughed at that, and Anacostia departed, leaving her charge to her thoughts.

She leaned back against the tree, closing her eyes. She spent time trying to organize her thoughts until they no longer swirled uncontrollably and overwhelmed her.

_ I knew coming here would suck. Just didn’t know how much. Everyone so far has been a cheat or a liar. Except the Bellweather, shockingly. She’s too uptight to be deceitful. _

_ It hasn’t  _ all _ sucked. There’s been good moments here; good people. What about Byron? _

_...fine.  _ One _ good bean and he barely counts as a person. _

_ Tally and Abigail risked everything to find you that day. They care about you. They’d do anything for you. _

_ Tally lied- _

_ She made a mistake. She didn’t mean to hurt you. She  _ loves _ you- that was never a lie. Abigail does too- she happily stated she’s the only one who gets to shit on you. _

_...yay? _

_ Some people have odd love languages. _

_ … _

_ Don’t write off the whole experience. And  _ don’t _ give up now. Bad stuff happens, nothing’s ever easy, et cetera, whatever. There’s good people around you, who want you to succeed. _

_ I don’t even care if I succeed. _

_ Because it was scary before- there was no one to help you. Now there is.  _

_ Maybe… _

_ So what will you do about it? _

~.~

Tally sat cross-legged next to Abigail on her bed, putting braids into her hair. Abigail was hunched over a book, reading and muttering under her breath and occasionally trying to swat her hands away. Tally ignored her and happily kept on braiding.

She was still worried about Raelle- a little bit about their strained relationship but mostly about her continued struggle with the events surrounding Scylla Ramshorn. The entire athletics program had heard the news by now, though no one else had likely made the connection to the former student. Tally was pretty sure it would set Raelle off again, but she was uncertain if it would force the girl further into denial or finally draw her out. She was preparing contingencies for either outcome.

She had just finished setting a braid down and was picking out more strands of hair to start another one, when Raelle came in. She and Abigail both paused in their work and looked up, watching her survey the room before closing the door behind her.

Right away, Tally could tell that Raelle had heard the news. Her eyes were red, her hair was mussed, and her clothes were in disarray. Tally’s eyes traveled over her disheveled form, taking in the messy bandage around her left hand. Her instinct was to jump up and encase the smaller girl in a tight hug and take care of her, but she didn’t think it would be too well received in the current climate.

Raelle gazed at them for a moment before walking over to sit on the floor in front of them. Abigail and Tally straightened a bit and looked at each other, unsure of what she was doing. She stared at them for a moment before pointedly looking at the floor space beneath Abigail’s freestanding bed.

Simultaneously, the bed’s occupants looked underneath and saw the room’s first aid kit. They both let out an “Oh” of understanding and Abigail reached back to snag it. She dragged it out and slid it over to Raelle, who cracked it open and began rifling through it, not leaving her spot.

Tally and Abigail shared another look, now uncertain if Raelle wanted help. She certainly didn’t seem to  _ need _ it- pulling out the items she wanted and efficiently starting to treat her shallow scrapes. She made a face as she applied some Neosporin, placed some gauze, and quickly unwound a small length of bandage to wrap around the whole thing.

Once she finished, she laid both hands in her lap and continued staring at the floor. Abigail started to say something but Tally stopped her- she could tell Raelle was trying to find her words.

_ Expressing yourself is never easy for you, is it Rae? I wonder why. I bet most people think it’s because you don’t care, but I know that’s not true. Maybe you think no one else will care? Also not true. _

Her hands itched to reach out and brush the hair out of Raelle’s face, but she made herself be patient. She slipped her hand into Abigail’s and waited.

Finally, Raelle looked up at them and Tally could tell she was no closer to finding the words she wanted. Frustrated, desperate to express  _ something _ , Raelle reached out and rested her fist on Tally’s knee. Her mouth opened, but still no words came out.

Tally smiled at her and, still holding Abigail’s hand, slid onto the floor next to Raelle. She wrapped her free arm around her shoulders and pulled her in, tucking the girl’s head under her chin. Raelle leaned against her, breathing deeply.

“I know,” Tally said softly.

Abigail reached down and picked up Raelle’s other hand, pressing it to her lips.

“Welcome home, Shitbird.”

_ We got you, Rae. Your sisters will take care of you. _

_ We’ll take care of each other. _

~.~

By the time the team was loading the bus on Friday to head to the quarter finals, things had smoothed out significantly. Raelle had fixed things with Abigail and Tally, and their bond had been re-cemented. They had reached a new level of trust and understanding, and the word “sisters” swirled around in her mind and sat in her mouth more and more everyday. She was about willing to accept it, even if she hadn’t said anything out loud.

Anacostia gave no indication she remembered their talk beneath the tree, and Raelle was perfectly happy to leave it at that. No need to get sappy.

Despite not being an official member of the team, Adil had elected to travel to this game as it was such an important one. He generally didn’t go to away games because there would be no one to watch his sister, but Anacostia had given him permission to bring the young girl along. Khalida hadn’t seemed entirely thrilled to be going to a sporting event in which she had no interest, but for now she was happily reading through a textbook generally only on the reading list of the upperclassmen.

Raelle had watched Adil and Abigail make eye contact as he boarded the bus and had been prepared to shove herself into Tally and Glory’s seat to give them space, but he had looked away quickly and chosen a seat up front. For a moment Abigail had looked irritated, but then she had just looked a little sad. Raelle and Tally shared a look before Raelle nicely offered to go yell at him.

For her efforts, she was called a Shitbird and squished into the side of the bus for about half the trip.

_ I don’t understand straight people. _

The rest of the ride was uneventful and the team arrived at the rival school amped up and ready to play. The Bellweather Unit dressed in the locker room and headed down to the field together, a far cry from their arrival only a week before. Raelle twisted her fingers nervously as she eyed the field.

_ I’m not superstitious, stop being stupid. I do  _ not _ need some coin to play well. _

She tried to put it out of her mind but once or twice she still caught herself thinking about a little coin and a certain bird skull charm stuffed in a box far under her bed, slowly gathering dust.

She was drawn roughly out of her reverie when she rammed into someone’s back. She stumbled backwards, surprised, and saw Abigail standing stock still in front of her. Raelle circled around her and saw a stunned look on her face; her eyes were fixed on some point in the stands. Raelle and Tally both scanned the crowd to see what had gotten her spooked, and quickly located a pair of familiar faces.

Bridey was there, which wasn’t unusual. She attended every game, still helping Abigail as a trainer and coach. Raelle wasn’t concerned to see her there. 

Standing next to her, was Petra Bellweather.

~.~

It was a decisive victory.

A shut-out, where the other team never got in a single goal. The Furies celebrated long and loud in the middle of the field once they had shaken hands with the other team. Tally declined to celebrate just yet, and she and Glory went to each of the opposing players to offer kind words and reassurances.

As they finally began filing off the field, Abigail fell in next to Libba, saying, “You lived! I’m shocked. That girl crosse checked you so hard I for sure thought that was it.”

“Please, Bellwether. Hits that might take  _ you _ out are nothing to a Swythe.”

“You sure? Because I really thought you had grown wings. You flew pretty fa-”

She was cut off when Libba elbowed her, but they were both laughing. They fist-bumped and Abigail gave her a friendly shove. It was pretty unnerving for the rest of the team to watch, really, but it was better than the constant fighting.

Probably.

Once they gathered their gear, the team headed back toward the buses, along with Anacostia, Adil, and Khalida, who seemed to have enjoyed the game after all. Abigail stopped when she heard a throat clear behind her. She instinctively raised her shoulders up in defense and turned to face her mother.

She saw Tally and Raelle stop and wait out of the corner of her eye. She knew it was fruitless to tell them to go on- she knew they wouldn’t leave her to face her mother alone. Libba patted her amicably on the shoulder and departed with a “Good luck.”

“Hey, Mom. I didn’t know you were coming,” Abigail began. She nodded to Bridey as she also approached and took a position slightly behind and to the side of Petra.

“I thought I’d drop by unexpectedly. I haven’t been able to catch any of your games yet. It seems I was fortunate and caught a good one. Well done, Abigail.”

Abigail’s eyebrows raised in shock and her posture straightened even more. Free praise was exceptionally rare from her mother and she suddenly felt very proud of herself.

A glance to the side, however, showed her that Tally was now frowning.

“Thank you, that means a lot,” Abigail said with a smile, ignoring her suspicious unit mate for now. “It was a team effort though, not just me. We’ve all put a lot of hard work in and it’s paying off.”

Petra nodded thoughtfully.

“It would seem so.” She nodded once, sharply, and continued, “I must return home now but I want to let you know that I spoke to your sponsor and the admissions coordinator- you remember, you met them at the wedding- and I’m pleased to say they are impressed with your qualifications.”

Immediately, Abigail’s mood dropped.

_ My qualifications? Do you mean my work, Mom? Or just that I’m a Bellweather? _

Not seeming to notice her daughter’s discontent, Petra continued, “I do think you’ll be on track for early admission to West Point. I’ll keep you updated on any changes.”

Without thinking, Abigail blurted out, “Actually, Mom, you know, I was thinking- maybe I could do more time at Salem U.”

Silence met her outburst. She saw Raelle and Tally glance at each other, Bridey looked impassive as ever- though Abigail thought she detected a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth- and her mother looked taken aback.

She had never managed to surprise her mother before, and she couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or not.

“I beg your pardon?” Petra said eventually.

“I, er,” Abigail stammered, not sure what to say. She hadn’t really planned on confronting her mother about this, especially not in front of so many people and with not a lot of time to talk. Eventually she continued, “I just thought, you know, I’m part of something pretty great here. This team is amazing and I really like the rest of the school too. And my unit mates…” She trailed off, gesturing to them. She didn’t know how to even begin to explain what Tally and Raelle had come to me to her.

Instead she said, “I don’t mean I would never go there, of course. I just mean, I like this school and I’m doing very well here. I think it could be beneficial for me to stay here a little longer and gain more experience before going to West Point.” She saw her mother frown and knew she was wasting her breath. She added feebly, “I just- I wouldn’t want to enter such a prestigious school at anything less than my best.”

A full thirty seconds passed in silence as Petra regarded her daughter. To Abigail, it felt like the world was holding its breath along with her, waiting for Petra’s response.

“I will chalk this ridiculous notion up to your excitement over winning your game tonight. I would hate to think you were entertaining the idea of not going to West Point, Abigail.”

“No, Mom, I wasn’t, I would never-”

“Good, then I see no reason to bring this up again. You will be going to West Point as soon as your admission goes through, and that is the last I will say on the matter. Understood?”

Abigail bit the inside of her lip hard to prevent herself from saying anything else foolish. Not trusting herself to reply verbally, she simply nodded.

“Good,” Petra said. “Well done again on tonight’s performance. Girls,” she added, nodding to Tally and Raelle. With a last look at Abigail, Petra departed.

Bridey gave Abigail a long look before heading toward the parking lot, saying she would meet Abigail in the morning.

Abigail could feel Raelle and Tally staring hard at her and she heard one of them take a step forward.

She held up a hand without looking at them and said, “Can you guys just go to the bus? Please. Tell Anacostia I’ll be there in a minute.”

They hesitated but after a pause she saw Raelle tug Tally away.

Abigail stood there, staring down at the grass beneath her cleats, trying to will the tears out of her eyes.

_ Why are you getting so worked up about this anyway? It wasn’t even a long shot- there was never any chance she’d let you deviate from the plan. Her plan. _

_ I thought, since I’ve been doing so well, she might listen. And I’m not a kid anymore, I’m an adult. I should be able to lead my own life, right? _

_ Right. That’s only what like, half a dozen people have been trying to tell you for about three months now. _

Abigail jumped when a hand unexpectedly came to rest on her shoulder. She turned and saw Adil waiting behind her, a very understanding look on his face. There was more than that though, and Abigail couldn’t quite place it. And she hadn’t heard him approach either- he had been there the whole time, witnessing her cave to her mother’s pressure once again.

She flushed with shame and looked towards the ground again, but a warm, strong hand quickly came under her chin, bringing her head back up.

“Nice to see the real you, Abigail,” Adil said, a warm smile on his face. Abigail had missed that smile. With a start, she realized what the other emotion on his face was: pride.

“She didn’t listen,” Abigail said. “She didn’t even pretend to listen.”

“I’m listening,” Adil replied steadily. “So tell  _ me _ what you want.”

“I want to stay here,” Abigail said confidently. “I like this school, I like this team and this game, I like Anacostia- do  _ not _ tell her I said that- and I love my sisters. More than anything, I don’t want to leave them.”

Adil chuckled and said, “You told me that you thought Raelle was the one who changed when you two started fighting less. But the real change has been you, Abigail Bellweather.”

She blushed at his praise, but thought seriously about the things they both had been saying. About change and the things she wanted.

Saying the words made everything she was feeling more real. Abigail had never admitted to herself out loud that she actively wanted things outside of what her mother planned for her. But hearing those things with her own ears in her own voice had cemented them in her mind.

She didn’t want to go to West Point yet. Maybe at all.

She was starting to think there was more she was capable of.

~.~

As she finally boarded the bus, ignoring a pointed look from Anacostia for being late, Abigail noticed a potential seating problem.

Toward the back of the bus, Raelle was sharing a seat with Glory, while Tally took the open one in front of them. The spot next to her was empty and Abigail knew the intent was for her to sit there so Tally could help her feel better. But as she approached the back, she saw Tally’s gaze shift from her to Adil behind her, and then down to their linked hands.

Raelle sat up straighter in her seat, leaning over to watch a potential show-down; Glory just looked trepidatious.

Tally gave Adil a stern look-over while Abigail stared her down, then a second look-over, judging him. Unfazed as always, Adil simply met her critical gaze with his placid one. Finally, Tally gave a brisk nod and vacated her seat. She moved back one and pulled Glory into her lap so she could share the seat with her and Raelle.

Abigail rolled her eyes and slid into the now-empty seat, Adil sliding in next to her. Behind them, she heard Raelle remark that lap-sitting was actually against the bus rules. Then she heard Raelle squeak as she was squished once again into the bus wall so Tally could make space next to her for Glory to sit comfortably.

Abigail missed most of Raelle’s protests and insults; as soon as the bus was moving, she was asleep against Adil’s shoulder.

~.~

“So, everything is settled then? You’re sure?”

“Absolutely, it’s all been taken care of.”

“I appreciate the help, Dean Alder.”

“Not as much as I appreciate yours. This is well-deserved, I think.”

“You and I have different ideas on what I deserve.”

“Nevertheless. Welcome back to Salem University, Scylla.”

~.~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 👀 👀
> 
> Today's art brought to you again by my buddy Kal with a stunning image from Episode 8 itself. How Fitting. Find Kal on Twitter [@kalvzr](https://twitter.com/kalvzr)
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


	9. Clear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scylla returns to Salem University, the team faces their semi-final match, exams are approaching, Abigail is stuck in limbo while her future is decided for her, Tally faces new revelations, Raelle has a major decision to make.
> 
> It's been a very long semester.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shook that there's only one chapter left. Idk how I'll ever top myself. Guys I know I said were past the bulk of the angst by now and I was right- there's only a lil bit here and it has nice lil happy ending. :)
> 
> Mostly.
> 
> Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer but I do watch a lot of SVU :shrug:

_ clear: defense gets the ball away from the crease, to the offense _

Same room, different person.

Scylla dropped the box she was carrying onto the floor, and dumped her bag onto the bed. It wasn’t much, but at least not owning a lot made moving easier. She nudged her bag out of the way and flopped down onto the bed.

_ Surprised they didn’t give my spot away to the first fee-paying student they could find. _

Scylla knew she had been lucky, in a sense, that the whole mess had taken place late in the semester and there had been no incoming students. It had made it easier for Alder to reinstate her enrollment and get her dorm room back.

There had been a few double-takes in the hallway when she had first arrived, but Scylla had ignored them. She knew the “official” story would make its way around soon enough.

_ I was ill. Sure. Whatever, I guess I won’t be pestered about it then.  
_

In one area she had been less lucky: certain people did know the truth behind her absence. Certain lacrosse players. One, really, that she would’ve much preferred being able to talk to herself, and explain.

_ I don’t even know what exactly she heard. Or how she reacted. Fucking hell, Anacostia, I asked you for  _ one _ thing. _

The idea of Raelle despising her and never wanting to see her again was painful. Even more so because Scylla knew it was fair.

_ I’m still going to go see her. Or try, anyway. Just because the legal system is throwing me a bone doesn’t mean she will. _

_ Yes, good, go bother her after you wanted her to move on. _

_ To be fair, I did think I’d be spending the next however-long in a cell somewhere. If I’m going to be here, I have a chance to fix things. Maybe. I want to try, at least. _

_ And if she tells you where you can shove it? _

_ My cell might still be available. _

Scylla was startled out of her reverie by a knock on the door. She checked the peephole to see a very unexpected visitor.

_ It’s only five stories, I can go out the window. _

_ Wuss. You can’t exactly hide from her, might as well see what she wants. _

She sighed and opened the door to admit Anacostia Quartermaine.

~.~

Anacostia stepped into Scylla’s room, surveying the area. It seemed she had only just returned to it: the shades were still drawn, the electronics were unplugged, and nothing seemed to be unpacked yet.

“So,” she began, standing in the middle of the small room. Scylla lingered by the door, as though she might bolt at any second. “So you have returned. I’d gotten word from Alder that you would be. Izadora also mentioned you popped back up on her student list.”

“Was there a question there?”

“I don’t have all the details but I know enough. Did you ask Alder to return or did she offer?”

“She offered. Kind of had to, in the end. What with how it all turned out.”

“Oh?” Anacostia asked, curious. Scylla, though, did not care to elaborate. Instead of pressing, Anacostia continued, “So what is your plan now? You’re a full student again. Will you be staying here?”

Scylla tilted her head, considering. “We’ll see how things go. I’d like to stay here, I think, but it’s hard if you’re actively not wanted.”

“I can’t imagine you caring about what other people think.”

“There’s really just the one person,” Scylla said pointedly.

Anacostia sighed, shaking her head.

“I had to tell her. I’m sorry,” she added after a pause. Scylla was clearly surprised by the apology. “She was… not handling things well. Suffering. She needed the truth, for once.”

She watched Scylla clench her eyes in pain and drop her head.

“Shit. How bad?” she asked, looking up.

Anacostia chose to remain silent.

Scylla slumped over to the bed and sank down, head in her hands. She sighed deeply, upset, and Anacostia felt her heart soften a little bit. Like it had that day at the Bellweather wedding.

Taking a seat in the desk chair, she said, “She doesn’t hate you as much as you think she does, for what it’s worth. Or as much as  _ she _ thinks she does.” Scylla just scoffed.

Looking up, she asked, “So what’s the real reason you’re here? You didn’t come by to chat about my classes. Don’t you have sport things to do? So many players to bother and torture and yet, you’re bothering me.”

“I want to know how someone gets to be you,” Anacostia replied. Scylla’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Flighty, flakey, conniving, manipulative- and yet all I see in front of me is a sad, regretful nineteen year old kid. I’m trying to reconcile the two parts.”

Scylla chuckled, “Prepare for disappointment.”

Anacostia shook her head and stood, walking toward the door.

“Wait!”

She paused and turned back toward Scylla, who was standing now as well.

“Take a message to Raelle for me. Take the message and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know about me.”

Anacostia thought it over for a moment before heading back to her chair.

“Deal,” she said, sitting down.

Scylla sighed, resettling on the bed.

“I don’t know how much you know about me…”

“I know enough. Things came up.”

“Well, after my parents died, I was on my own. Shipped from place to place, never able to put down roots- no one really cared about me. I knew if I didn’t get a free ride somewhere I wouldn’t be able to go to college, and my parents always wanted me to. But I’ve always just looked out for me and damn the rest. So when I- once again- had to save my own butt, it didn’t bother me to step on some other people to do it. But…”

“But?” Anacostia prompted.

Scylla rolled her eyes and sighed, “I met this girl.”

“Mhmm, yes, I see.”

“Totally wrecked my plan.”

“To be fair, I did warn you to stay away from her.”

Scylla looked up and smiled. “Impossible.”

Anacostia rolled her eyes.

_ Ugh, teenagers. _

Scylla said, “There’s not much else to tell, really. But I have a question for you: Why did you help me? I nearly snitched on your team, hurt your best player- no, don’t interrupt, she is-, lied to everyone, also- I  _ did _ commit felony fraud. Sort of. But you spoke up for me. I know you asked the feds for leniency. Why? You hated me from the start.”

Anacosita shook her head saying, “I never hated you. There’s just only so many kids I can look after at once, and my team comes first. I thought you would hurt one of my players- and to be fair, I was  _ right _ \- so I told you to go. But since no one ever listens to me, events unfolded as they did.”

“Still doesn’t explain why you helped me. Even at the wedding when I told you everything- you didn’t have to be as nice as you were.”

Anacostia looked Scylla carefully in the eye, replying seriously.

“My parents died when I was very young. Accident. But I was taken in and raised by very good people who gave me every opportunity to rise to where I am today.” She paused as Scylla absorbed this information. “I want to see what could happen if you were offered the same chance I was.”

Anacostia rose and dusted herself off. She nodded to Scylla, dumbstruck on the bed, and headed for the door.

“I can guess what your message for Raelle is. I'll deliver it. Can’t promise anything will come of it, but we’ll see.”

And she left.

~.~

The few days since the quarter final game had been great, and Tally couldn’t have been happier about it. Her Unit had  _ finally _ come together, and she could tell the bond was different now. Stronger, less easily broken, deeper. Things weren’t quite perfect- she could feel there were still some loose ends to tie up- but she knew they were headed in a good direction.

Monday, after practice, Anacostia held her Unit back.

While the rest of the team departed, good-naturedly cracking jokes about their funerals, the Bellweather Unit cautiously put their duffels back down and rejoined Anacostia by the bench. They shared looks with each other, quickly ascertaining that none of them had an idea of what their coach wanted.

“Ladies, first of all, I appreciate you keeping quiet about certain events you might have knowledge of. That silence will continue, yes?” she asked sternly.

Tally shared yet more confused looks with Abigail and Raelle as they nodded.

“Good. Regardless of how circumstances may change, you will keep that particular story to yourselves.”

Abigail and Raelle looked completely lost, but a light bulb went off in Tally's head. She put an arm around Raelle’s shoulders, pulling her in.

“She’s back, isn’t she. Scylla is back at Salem U.”

She felt Raelle stiffen next to her.

Anacostia looked at each of their faces before saying, “Yes. Scylla Ramshorn has returned to the University. She is enrolled once more.”

“What?!”

The exclamation came from Abigail, loud enough that the rest of the team now at the far end of the field paused to look back. Tally said nothing, already having fully processed this new information and now focused solely on the reaction of the smaller girl at her side. She waited, looking for a cue.

Raelle was staring straight ahead, stone-faced, and didn’t reply.

Abigail said, “I’m shocked, what happened? I thought she was a criminal or something. Did she not do it?”

Anacostia held up her hands, saying, “Extenuating circumstances were taken into account and that is all I can say. It’s up to Scylla if she wants to tell you more.”

_ She calls Scylla by her first name, interesting. _

Tally didn’t let this new revelation distract her much though, instead leaning down to whisper in Raelle’s ear.

“Feel whatever you want, Rae, it’s okay. Don’t suppress anything. Mad, confused, indifferent- it’s all fine.”

Raelle gave a short, clipped nod to show that she heard. She tilted her head up and Tally leaned in to hear her quiet reply.

“I want to go back to the room. Inside. Too much space out here.”

Tally nodded and kissed her head. Looking up, she met Anacostia’s eyes steadily.

“Thanks for the warning, we’ll steer clear. We’re gonna go now though, things to do.”

She nodded to Abigail who bent to gather her and Raelle’s duffels. Tally was picking up her own when Anacostia replied:

“Not so fast. I want to talk to Collar alone for a moment.”

Tally glared at her, about to protest, when she saw Raelle give the tiniest shake of her head.

“It’s okay,” Raelle said, nodding at her and Abigail. Tally hesitated, uncertain, but Abigail towed her away. They stopped not too far off and waited.

As she did, Tally saw she had received a text from Gerit.

~.~

Anacostia was eyeballing her, trying to get a read on her mood. Said mood wasn't fantastic at the moment, given the latest curveball, but Raelle was still willing to listen to whatever Anacostia wanted to tell her.

She had a suspicion about what it might be.

“When?” Raelle asked, speaking first.

“I believe she arrived early Saturday. She only got her room back and moved in yesterday.”

“Did you know?”

“You seem to think I was very involved in the situation; I was not. I am too busy to hunt down information on things that do not concern me.”

“You talked to her.” It was not a question.

“I did. I wanted a few answers. Unexpectedly, I got them.” Raelle raised her eyebrows in disbelief. “I was surprised too. I’m sure it was something to do with the deal we made though.”

“Deal?”

“She would answer my questions if I agreed to deliver a message to you.” Raelle’s mouth twisted. “I am  _ only _ delivering a message. What you do with it, if anything, is up to you.”

“...Fine”

“She wants to see you. I believe she would like a chance to speak for herself. Explain.” Anacostia paused, then added, “I don’t think she wants to make excuses. She believes you should hear the truth from her. That you deserve it from her.”

Raelle glared down at her ratty cleats, blinking away tears. An unexpected hand came to rest on her shoulder.

“I would hear her out, Raelle. Give her a chance to speak.”

“Why should I?” Raelle snapped at the ground. “She got caught, now she feels bad about it.”

A hand came into her field of vision, lifting her head up.

“Scylla did not get caught, Collar. She gave herself up; turned herself in. Do I need to say who it was for?”

Raelle frowned. “It’s manipulative for you to tell me that.”

“I’m not excusing her. I’m giving you the facts, so you can make a choice you’ll have to live with. But don’t just listen to me- and you’re good at that- ask your unit mates. Hear what they think. I assume you know how to find her.”

Raelle’s eyes drifted toward the gardens, and the big tree just out of view.

Anacostia nodded and stepped back, looking around. Frowning, she said, “Tally looks angry, and it’s not at me for once. Please find out what the problem is and neutralize it before she scares someone. I will see the three of you tomorrow.”

Anacostia walked off and Raelle could vaguely hear her mumbling something about “those three”.

_ Since when does she call her ‘Tally’? _

Shaking her head and turning, she saw Tally angrily texting someone on her phone. She trotted over to Abigail, who looked pretty amused with the situation.

“What did I miss?” Raelle asked.

Abigail used her shoulder as a resting post and said, “She got a text from Gerit. Apparently, since the relationship is partially a formality, his girlfriend doesn’t mind if he and Tally continue seeing each other on the side. Low-key, of course.”

“Of course,” Raelle said, pulling Abigail’s phone out of her jacket pocket.

“He also said that it could be fun if the three of them-”

“Ew, stop, no thank you. I got it,” Raelle said, pulling a face as she typed a message into Abigail’s phone.

Tally evidently had gotten fed up with texting and was now on a call.

As soon as Gerit picked up, she said, “You didn’t ask me first, you just assumed I’d be okay with it.” There was a pause and then, “No, you listen. I don’t want to be someone’s side girl, okay? I deserve better. And I believe you when you say you care about me, and I understand you maybe can’t be free about who you date, but that doesn’t mean I compromise my own feelings or actions.” Another pause. “What was that? Why did your roommate hit you?”

Tally listened to Gerit’s response and then spun around toward Raelle, snatching Abigail’s phone from her hand. Raelle let it go, cackling, just as a thumbs-up came back from Byron. Tally glared at Abigail and Raelle as they fist-bumped before returning to her call.

“Gerit, look. I’m not doing this anymore.” Pause. “Because I don’t want to and I don’t owe you anything else. You don’t know me at all, I realize that now. We’re done, okay? Goodbye.”

With that, she hung up and stuffed her phone back into the side pocket of her duffel. She turned back towards the still-giggling girls behind her and stared at them pointedly.

“Ah lighten up, Leggy. He had it coming,” Raelle said, sliding herself under Tally’s arm and wrapping her own around the girl’s waist.

“Yeah, Tal, he did. Sorry I helped set you up with my idiot friend. Proud of you though, girl. Way to stand up for yourself.” Abigail stood on her other side and linked their arms together.

Tally rolled her eyes and sighed, “You guys are ridiculous, really, I can’t cope much longer.”

They laughed as they began heading back to the barracks. After a few minutes, the inevitable question was asked:

“So, what did Anacostia say to you?”

Raelle took a deep breath and responded, “Scylla wants to see me. She wants to tell me the whole truth. Not to excuse herself, apparently, but because she wants me to have it from her. Like I should have had.”

Tally tugged her closer and Raelle felt a kiss on the top of her head.

“I think you should go see her, Rae,” Tally said. “Hear her out. I saw her at the wedding, she told me what she was doing. She looked really scared, but not about feds or prison or anything, just scared that she wouldn’t get to tell you what happened. She didn’t want to disappear on you.”

Raelle’s mouth tightened and she looked down.

“I don’t owe her anything,” she said, but her heart wasn’t in it.

“Of course you don’t,” Abigail said. “But maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get some closure. You might not get a chance later. The more time that passes, the less it will matter if you get it but the damage is still done.”

Raelle was surprised to hear Abigail speak in favor of Scylla.

They walked silently for a bit longer before Raelle said, “I don’t know. Maybe.”

As they approached Circe, Tally said, “You don’t have to decide now. You have some time. And whatever you decide, me ‘n Abby are behind you.”

Abigail reached across Tally to ruffle her hair, and even though she swatted her hand away, Raelle was smiling.

Maybe “sisters” wouldn't be so bad.

~.~

About mid-week, Petra Bellweather returned to Salem U.

Practice had just let out, and a few girls had stayed behind for a bit to receive some pointers from Adil, including the Bellweather Unit. As they were wrapping up and most everyone was departing, Abigail felt someone poke her in the arm and she turned to see Libba pointing down the field.

Tally and Raelle saw Petra at the same time Abigail did and she felt them stiffen beside her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Bridey pause in her note-taking with Adil, and they both also turned to face the oncoming Bellweather general.

“Hello Abigail, I caught the end of your practice: still looks very promising,” Petra said as she arrived. She shook hands with Bridey and nodded to the three young people.

“Thank you, we’re still working very hard. Semi finals are this Friday, and then Championship two weeks after that.” Remembering something, she quickly added, “It’s well after finals, so I won’t be slacking in that area either, ma’am.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I just dropped by to say that I expect to be hearing from the recruiter sometime next week, so be ready for that.” Petra smiled. “It will be good news, Abigail, nothing to be worried about.”

But that’s not why Abigail was frowning.

She looked at Tally, then Raelle, and they both met her with steady gazes. She could feel the support coming off them. Feeling bold, she carefully drew her mother a few feet away.

Quietly she said, “Mom, I know you said you didn’t want to hear this again, but I feel like I didn’t express myself adequately enough last time.” She took a deep breath and plowed ahead. “I want to stay here, at Salem U. I want to finish the year at the  _ least _ . I’ve only ever thought about West Point and it never occurred to me there could be other things I might be good at. Or that I would enjoy. I don’t think it is necessary for me to rush into a career choice when I’m only eighteen. I would like more time here to think about my future, and make sure I’m happy with what I choose, ma’am.”

Abigail felt lightheaded now. The words had come out in a flood and left her slightly breathless. She almost wished she could take them back, but she knew it needed to be said and she would live with the coming fallout. She had finally told her mother what she wanted; now she would see if it mattered.

Judging by the look on Petra’s face, however, it didn’t.

~.~

It was hard watching Abigail be dressed down by her mother. Anacostia wasn’t completely surprised to feel a surge of protectiveness as Petra started in on her daughter; despite her outward irritation, she did care very much for her players.

Especially these three, annoyingly.

She was impressed, though, with how well Abigail was taking it. She stood ramrod straight, holding eye contact, never shrinking from her mother’s harsh words. Anacostia was happy to have seen her stand up for herself a little, and she wished the outcome could’ve been more rewarding for her player.

Looking at the other people nearby, however, she thought maybe the girl had already been rewarded.

Tally was fuming, but composed. She was holding back a furious Collar by the arms and had a hand clamped firmly over her mouth, stemming the flow of what was likely a steady stream of profanity. Bridey was shaking her head in disappointment but Anacostia didn’t think it was aimed at Abigail. Adil was frowning, which was disconcerting on the usually unflappable young man.

_ She clearly has all the support she needs, finally. Petra, I know you want the best for your daughter, but this isn’t the way. _

She said nothing, however, and simply waited for the tirade to end.

~.~

  
  


Afterward, once Petra had finally left, the small group began moving again, preparing to leave. Abigail had yet to move, however. She was still standing perfectly straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands locked behind her back, eyes fixed on a spot in front of her. Her breathing was very controlled.

After a few seconds, she felt someone warm and solid come up behind her. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist and drew her back against a strong chest, holding her gently. A chin came to rest on her shoulder; soft breaths stirred the hair around her ear.

“It’s easier to say ‘no’ to the things you don’t want, when there are things you  _ do _ want right in front of you. I suppose that doesn’t make it easier to reach those things though,” a deep, warm voice said in her ear.

Abigail felt the tension flow out of her. She sagged back into Adil’s chest, letting him support her. She leaned her head back onto his shoulder and brought her hands up to rest on his arms around her.

“I had to try. I had to say  _ something _ .”

Adil kissed the side of her neck softly. “And I am proud of you for that.”

Abigail sighed and turned in the circle of his arms, placing her hands on his chest. She slid them up to his neck and rested her forehead against his, taking a deep breath.

“I don’t know what will happen now. Once my application goes through, she’ll have me out of here faster than I could react.”

Footsteps told her that Anacostia and Bridey had now left, but that her sisters were still there, waiting. She leaned against Adil, wrapping her arms around him fully and resting her face in the side of his neck. She breathed in the warm, comforting scent of him, letting it relax her.

“We can only ever take one day at a time, I’m afraid.” He pulled back just enough that he could kiss her forehead gently. “This is where we are today; we’ll see where we end up tomorrow. I will stay with you, though, you have my word. As long as you will have me.”

Abigail chuckled against his shoulder, enjoying the feel of his voice rumbling in his chest. She finally stood up again, linking a hand with his and walking back towards her girls.

She said, “Come on let’s do something fun tonight. We can set up the projector in Fort Salem- Tally, you grab Glory and we’ll shove the Shitbird between us- and we’ll have a movie night. Hell, invite the Swythe, the whole team, I don’t care. Let’s just do something.”

Tally smiled and bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly.

“Yeah! Sounds like a good night to me!”

“Showers first though,” Raelle said. “Y’all are rank,” she groused as she extracted herself from Tally’s exuberant embrace. “And we’re not watching High School Musical again, Leggy, so you can just put the pout away now.”

“Awww but Rae-”

Abigail laughed as they started arguing about movies. She was already planning to pop in a Disney film- Adil hadn’t seen many and they’d been making their way through them. 

For now though she was content to tuck herself closer into his side, listen to her girls bicker, and put off worrying about tomorrow until tomorrow.

~.~

The rest of the week went fairly smoothly, with all the girls focused on the semi-final match at the end of the week. Everyone was feeling confident, but there was still an air of tension around the field and in the barracks, as the final hurdle before championships approached.

The night before, Tally was sitting up in bed, going over a few notes for a class. Across the room, Abigail was snoring heavily. She had doubled her workout that day, but no one had protested too much- she had been trying to make herself tired so she could sleep well. In the bed below her, Raelle was pretending to be sound asleep but Tally knew she was still wide awake, turning ideas over in her head. She hadn’t yet decided if she would go talk to Scylla, but a couple times Tally had caught her peeking at something under her bed…

Next to her, snuggled close to fit in the narrow bed, was Glory. They had been studying together until it got late, and Glory had declared she was too comfortable to move. So Tally had laughed and tucked her friend in next to her- a common arrangement.

Once the words started floating off the page, Tally decided to call it a night. She got Raelle to stop pretending to sleep long enough to pass down her books, before she slid down in her own bed. Immediately she felt Glory scoot closer to her in her sleep, until her back was pressed flush against Tally’s side. Tally smiled down at her friend and reached over to brush some hair out of her face.

She stretched out on her back, relaxing and letting some pressing thoughts turn over in her head.

_ Can’t let Abby leave us. Gotta be something we can do to help her. I like Adil though, he’s super nice. Mellows her out, bless. Maybe a professional tree-cutter could remove the branch up Petra Bellweather’s ass. _

_ Rae needs to make a decision soon. I know her: she’ll wait and wait and put it off until it’s too late to make a difference and then she’ll be mad at herself. She needs a vacation, the semester’s been rough on her. Well, on all of us really. But she’s very small and she needs a hug. Can I hug her now? No, no, it’s late and I think she actually fell asleep this time. _

_ So Libba and Abby are friends now. Concerning. Probably fine. Should fireproof everything though, just in case. _

_ Anacostia referring to people by their first names? Unheard of. Oh maybe it means she likes us!! :-D _

_ I wonder how Scylla’s doing? I remember how she looked that last time I saw her- scared, dreading what was coming, but not nervous. She tried to do the right thing. I hope Rae will hear her out. Maybe I should talk to her? No, no, let them work it out. Sideline emotional support midfielder, Tally Craven. That’s me. _

_ Glory smells nice, as always. I don’t know what it is. I used her shampoo but it doesn’t smell the same on me. I really like it though. And her. Obviously. She’s my best friend. Things are so crazy out here in the real world, but I’m glad she came with me. Dunno if I could handle all this half as well without my little rock. _

Tally smiled as she started drifting off, her thoughts becoming less clear. She turned onto her side, tucking one arm under her head and throwing the other one over Glory, lacing their fingers together. She nuzzled her nose into her friend's hair, breathing in the fresh, clean scent.

The last thing she heard before she sank into sleep was Glory humming contentedly.

~.~

Edwin Collar was the proud owner of an old school Polaroid camera. The kind that prints pictures after you take them. He had sent the camera to college with Raelle, who had shown it off to some of their teammates. Throughout the semester, it had been used multiple times, usually by Tally, to document important events 

There were pictures from string selection, the afterparty, some with their friends like Glory and Byron, a team photo, and the three girls’ favorite: a picture of three jerseys- navy blue bordered in gold- pinned up on the wall. Craven, Bellweather, Collar.

And now, on this fine Friday morning, there was a new one. 

Right on the wall by Tally’s bed.

Tally stared at it, mind racing. Glory had woken up not long ago, and Tally had watched her notice the picture, look at it, and turn bright red before scrambling out of bed and out the door, with half a sentence about seeing her later.

Behind her, Raelle was perched on Abigail’s legs in the girl’s bed, smug as could be, camera still in her lap. Abigail was swearing at her to get off and shoved at Raelle until she could sit up properly.

In front of her was a picture. A picture that was making her think some new things. 

She was sleeping on her back, with Glory next to her. Glory was lying half on Tally’s chest, one arm tucked between them and one thrown over Tally’s stomach, where they were holding hands. Tally had her other arm around Glory’s back, holding her securely against her side. Glory’s face was tucked into her neck, and Tally’s cheek was resting on top of her friend’s head.

They’d woken up like that before, but something was different this time. Maybe it was seeing it like this- a whole image. Maybe it was the smile on Glory’s face, or the way Tally remembered waking up still holding her like this- how warm it felt.

Maybe Tally was seeing something now she really should have seen a long time ago.

She smiled.

~.~

“I am about to win this pool, Bellweather.”

“Like hell you are, Shitbird. It’s not over yet.”

“I can hear you both.”

~.~

That evening, the entire school was positively buzzing with anticipation. The lacrosse team was due back at any moment, and per tradition, the results of their game would not be announced until they arrived.

The bus depot was packed with students, with barely enough room for the buses to get through. They were chattering amongst themselves, waiting impatiently, shivering in the late November cold.

One of these impatient, shivering students, was Scylla Ramshorn.

_ It’s cold as  _ shit _ out here. Are they  _ walking _ back? What in the sweet fuck is taking so long? _

Scylla had debated with herself for literal  _ hours _ about whether she should show up here or not. But after a week of not hearing anything from Raelle- a week of waiting under their tree, hoping she would show- she found she couldn’t stay away any longer.

She didn’t really plan to try and talk to her. Either they had lost and she wouldn’t want to talk, or they had won and she’d be swarmed by celebrating students. Plus, Scylla had promised herself she would not try to pressure Raelle into anything. She just wanted to watch their return, and support the girl she was still madly in love with from the sidelines.

The anticipation and buzzing jumped to new levels as the first bus rounded the corner into the lot. Students quickly shuffled back farther, almost knocking each other down in the thick crowd, trying to make more room. Once the two buses had lined up, and the engines had been killed, a hush fell.

Jerseys on: Win. Jerseys off: Loss.

As the doors opened, Scylla strained to see from the back of the crowd. After a moment she gave up and climbed onto a nearby trash can cover, perching there cross-legged.

Anacostia stepped off the first bus, rolling her eyes at the unnecessary drama of it all.

Scylla could relate.

“Alright ladies, do not stay up late! I will see you all on Monday, enjoy your weekend,” Anacostia said, to excited gasps from the crowd.

The gasps turned into deafening cheers as a sea of blue and gold streamed off the buses.

~.~

_ Really, this tradition is just unnecessary. Also, I’m freezing my ass off now and I can’t get through this fucking crowd. _

Raelle tucked herself between Tally and Abigail, for once happy that they were so much taller than her. They hadn’t made it so much as two feet through the crowd yet, thanks in no small part to her unit mates’ desire to celebrate with the crowd. Their teammates were also caught up in the wave of cheering, willingly or not.

And on the unwilling end…

Raelle glanced around and caught sight of Glory a few feet away. Usually she would be tucked in behind Tally, using her as a buffer to get her through the wall of noise and bodies that she hated until she and Raelle could make their escape. But Glory was currently riding it out with her Unit; she had been avoiding Tally all day.

_ I gotta get that picture framed or something. _

Raelle had thought Tally might be sad about Glory’s avoidance, but she mostly just seemed amused. Raelle didn’t quite understand, but she would let Tally handle it; she knew Glory best.

_ She better not take forever though, if I lose the pool I don’t want the Bellweather to win. _

With or without Glory, Raelle wanted to get out of dodge and get back to her room. She wanted the peace and quiet before Tally and Abigail came back to do some more thinking. All week she had been turning ideas over and over in her head: talking to Scylla, ignoring her, sending a message, visiting her room- the same thoughts over and over and over.

She couldn’t settle on any course. Part of her- the part that was defensive and standoffish- wanted to wash her hands of the whole thing and pretend she didn’t care.

But that was a small part. It’s voice faded more with every passing day.

Another, larger part wanted to just forgive and forget. Find Scylla and pick up where they left off, like nothing had happened- that was the part that was still in love.

But that wouldn’t fix any of the hurt, and would only lead to pent up resentment later.

Raelle needed to find a middle ground.

Eventually Raelle abandoned the cover of her unit mates to make a solo dash for the dorms. She used her lack of height to her advantage, weaving through the dense crowd and using her crosse to fend people off. Unfortunately, that plus her jersey were kind of a dead giveaway so she still had to dodge many pats on her shoulders and back, and even worse- attempted hugs.

Finally she glimpsed light at the end of the tunnel- a break in the crowd ahead. She darted through it and pulled herself up onto a plastic trash can cover, crashing into some poor student who was already perched there.

She turned to them, already apologizing and planning to make another break for Circe.

“Sorry, I-”

She stopped.

Dark hair. Dark blue eyes. A scattering of freckles. A sharp jaw and soft lips that Raelle was  _ very _ familiar with.

_ Scylla. _

For a split second, Raelle forgot all the long days since the Bellweather wedding and nearly threw herself at Scylla, desperate to feel her again after so many weeks and weeks of fear and devastation. She wanted to wrap Scylla in her arms and never let go, so she’d never disappear again.

But then it all came flooding back, and the elation retreated.

Raelle scrambled back on the trash can cover, completely overshooting the edge and beefing it onto the cold, hard ground. Fortunately, her duffel took most of the impact for her, though her crosse clattered to the pavement a few feet away.

Scylla managed a more graceful dismount, hurrying over to where Raelle was sitting up, rubbing her sore back. At first, Scylla reached out as if to help her up, but then she hesitated. After a moment’s hesitation, she stepped back and picked up the fallen crosse instead.

Raelle heaved herself to her feet, groaning as the bulk of her duffel was extricated from her ribcage. She dusted herself off and looked around, trying to see if anyone else had seen that embarrassing display of failed physics. Satisfied that know one was looking her way, she turned back to Scylla, still standing a couple feet away, clutching the lacrosse stick.

Raelle stared at her for a moment before eventually putting her hand out. Scylla stepped forward, reaching just far enough to transfer the crosse over, without touching Raelle’s hand. They looked at each other for a few more drawn out, quiet minutes. Scylla was twisting her fingers together and doing that thing with her mouth she did when she was nervous.

_ It’s still cute when she does that. _

_ Not so fast, she’s not even close to forgiven yet. _

“It’s heavier than I thought,” Scylla said suddenly, seemingly unable to bear the silence any longer. “The crosse,” she clarified.

Raelle considered not responding and just walking away, but she found herself rooted to the spot. Finally she said, “Three and a half feet and seventeen ounces of mixed aluminum alloy and nylon mesh. Defenders use longer sticks than the other positions, except goaltenders.”

Scylla nodded, looking away.

When she turned back, she didn’t say anything more but looked over Raelle’s shoulder, at something far behind her. Raelle turned and even though she couldn’t see it this far off and in the dark, she knew what it was: their tree.

Raelle turned back to Scylla and gave her a long, searching look. It wasn’t hard- the hope was plain across her face.

After a tense moment and an intense internal struggle, Raelle made her choice.

Standing on her toes, she craned her next over the still-surging crowd until she found Tally. She was already looking in Raelle’s direction, like she already knew.

She probably did.

Tally nodded to her and Raelle nodded back.

She turned to Scylla once more and stepped to the side, gesturing for her to go on. The relief on Scylla’s face was palpable and made Raelle feel a certain type of way, but she refused to let her heart get ahead of her.

Raelle had decided.

She would trust Scylla just one more time.

Whether it would be the last time remained to be seen.

And for the first time in a long time, she let Scylla lead her off into the dark.

~.~

Scylla’s heart was pounding in her chest almost painfully. Her hands were sweating and she couldn’t get her thoughts together. She was hyper aware of Raelle following several steps behind her and even though she could hear her, she still had to stop herself from turning around to check if Raelle was still there. She half-believed that if she did turn and look, Raelle would be gone.

After what felt like an eternity, they arrived under the familiar, drooping branches of their tree, now bare of leaves. Scylla stopped in front of it, and Raelle walked past her, close enough that Scylla could feel the heat of her arm through their jackets. Raelle went to lean against one of the large, protruding roots, settling herself comfortably before resting her gaze on Scylla’s face.

Scylla’s hands began twisting themselves together again as she scrambled to think of what to say. The whole way over she hadn’t been able to settle on anything. Nothing she could think of seemed adequate.

_ Say something,  _ anything _ , or she’s going to leave. Not even because she’s impatient or bored- it’s fucking cold. _

“I’m sorry it’s so cold!” Scylla blurted out.

Raelle pulled her head back, one eyebrow raised at the unexpected comment.

“Um, okay?”

_ Off to a great start, dumbass. Good job. _

“I mean, well… actually I don’t know where I was going with that.”

There was an awkward, extended silence before Raelle finally spoke.

“You asked me here, Scylla. Anacostia said you wanted me to hear it from you. So, here I am. I’m listening.”

Scylla took a deep breath and shook her head to clear it.

_ Now or never, you won’t get another chance. You’re not trying to win her back, you’re just giving her the whole story. She deserves honesty from you at the very least, and it’s long overdue. _

“I- I messed up. There’s no excuse. I was scared,” Scylla said, her voice cracking toward the end. She felt a knot rise in her throat and she tried to swallow it down. She needed to get the words out.

“Scared of losing your mark.” Raelle’s words were toneless, and not a question.

Scylla took a steadying breath. “It started like that, but then…” she trailed off a little, remembering. She couldn’t help but smile a little as she continued, “You were… you. I fell for you. You strolled past the walls I had built around my heart, you got under my skin and into my head. You were patient, you listened, you  _ cared _ . I promise-” She cut off, swallowing thickly as tears began to well up. “I promise I’m telling the truth.”

Raell shook her head, not convinced yet.

“Was _ anything _ real? Any of it?” she asked coldly.

Scylla pulled herself together to respond steadily, looking Raelle in the eyes.

“All of it,” she said firmly. “Raelle, you have to believe me. I have nothing to gain by lying.” She paused before adding, “I never did, in the end. But I had everything to lose and I lost.” She shook her head again. “Sorry, not about me.”

Raelle stood quietly for a moment before suddenly surging up off the tree root, coming suddenly closer to Scylla who stumbled several steps backward in surprise.

“Why did you pick me?!” Raelle yelled, hands clenched into fists at her side. “Was it because I was lonely? Did I look sad to you? Weak??”

Scylla was stunned. Quietly she responded, “You have no idea how strong you are. It was never that.”

“I didn’t feel strong. I felt broken. Thanks to you.”

The words cut Scylla deeply, and she clenched her eyes shut in pain. Tears leaked out as she bowed her head. She heard Raelle lean back once again against the root of their tree and she looked up just enough to see her lean her head back against the bark in exhaustion. The tears rolling down Raelle’s face hurt Scylla even more.

Scylla sank to her knees, unable to stand any longer beneath the weight of all the emotion and hurt. It felt like shackles were draped across her hands and feet, holding her in place, binding her to a cold, metal chair she couldn’t see.

Finally she croaked out, “I chose you.”

Raelle quieted, but Scylla couldn’t bring herself to look up yet.

She continued, “I had instructions, but… I chose you. Instead of them. I  _ chose _ you.” 

Scylla finally looked up and saw Raelle watching her intently. Listening. 

She went on, “I chose you, and I would  _ choose _ you, all over again, every time. And if I had to do it again, I would because I’d never give up meeting you for  _ anything _ . But I’d tell you the truth, I would. From the moment you started making me question things, and Raelle- you made me question  _ everything. _ ”

Raelle continued to watch her, not saying anything. But she didn’t have to, Scylla could see it: the flat, unfeeling look had left her eyes, her jaw was unclenched, her head was tilted just so.

Raelle’s anger and pain were fading.

Scylla felt the tiniest seed of hope plant itself in her chest.

“Raelle I- I  _ love _ you. I love you so much, more than anything. Maybe you don't want to hear that, but I want to say it because it’s the truest thing I’ve ever said. And I know I shouldn’t ask for a second chance- maybe I don’t deserve one- but I’m going to ask anyway because I’m still working on my selfishness.”

Raelle’s mouth twitched at the corner and Scylla ventured the tiniest of smiles.

“I’m not asking you to take me back as your, well…” She stopped again, forcing back more tears. “I mean, you might not feel that way anymore, and that’s okay, really. But… I still want to be part of your life, if you want that. And I want to have you in mine- in whatever way I can. I know I have to earn your trust again, but I want to try.”

A long pause, and then-

“Okay.”

All at once, the weight fell away. Scylla stood, the shackles releasing their hold on her. Her head felt light, and the seed of hope in her chest began to bloom.

“Okay,” she said, smiling for the first time in months.

“You can start by telling me the whole story, start to finish. Don’t leave anything out.” Raelle looked around, frowning. “Not here though, I’m freezing my nuts off.”

Scylla giggled. Raelle suddenly brightened, and then her expression turned mischievous. She looked toward the gardens, then back at Scylla.

Scylla smirked, and pulled a thin piece of metal out of her pocket.

~.~

They sat in the Necro Den for hours, comfortable in the warmth used for the fungi in there. Scylla told Raelle everything as she had learned about it, leaving out no detail.

When her scholarship had suddenly fallen through, Scylla had looked for any means to stay in school. When someone approached her with a shady scheme, she didn’t think twice about accepting. What was a sports team to her?

Not a team, it turned out, but one player. When her mark made her change her mind, Scylla turned herself in. She ratted out her contact and told the feds everything she could. Not necessarily trying to save herself, but just trying to do the right thing for once.

There was a domino effect: once one player was given up, they in turn would give up others, until eventually the ring fell apart and the leaders were uncovered. Scylla didn’t have too many details on all of that though.

What she  _ did _ know, however, was that her contact turned out to be a woman in the financial aid office of Salem University. She had intentionally interfered with Scylla- someone with no other means or family, with a troubled past- and her scholarships, to make her desperate. Similar things had happened at other schools that were involved.

Given this information, and Scylla’s willing assistance, the feds had offered her a deal: immunity from all charges in exchange for her testimony. It had been an easy choice, really. And once Alder had gotten the details of what happened, she had seen to it that Scylla’s full ride had been reinstated, and personally invited Scylla back to school once the feds okayed it.

Despite being manipulated, Scylla still maintained that, at the time, it had been her choice to do what she did, and made no excuses for herself. Raelle nodded at that, saying nothing, but she did smile a little.

After that, they remained in the Den for a while longer, stumbling awkwardly through small talk. It wasn’t easy, or familiar, and the eventual goodbye was even more stuttered. They didn’t hold hands, or sit next to each other; Raelle never got much closer to Scylla than arm’s length, and Scylla was letting her set the pace.

But they  _ talked _ . And Raelle said she would see Scylla on Monday, after practice. Maybe they could get dinner in the dining hall.

It wasn’t easy, but it was good.

It was a start.

~.~

Much later, well past midnight, Raelle returned to her dorm in Circe barracks, feeling lighter than she had in a long time. Things weren’t one hundred percent fixed between her and Scylla yet, and she still felt some hurt, but they had made a good start tonight and Raelle felt hopeful.

She entered her shared room to see that Tally and Abigail had already come and gone. Likely they’d be at Fort Salem, celebrating the night’s win. Usually she would join them, but tonight Raelle felt like being alone. She still felt raw from her talk with Scylla, and she appreciated the quiet of the empty room.

She collapsed onto her bed, only to jump up again, swearing, after landing on something hard. She flipped the light on to see a rectangular cardboard box on her bed, with a note on top. Suspiciously, she picked up the note and cracked the seal.

Judging by the different handwritings, Tally and Abigail had taken turns writing part of this letter.

  
  


**Dear Shitbird** _ , _

_ Really Abby? _

**What? It’s a term of endearment.**

_ Whatever. Dear Raelle, we know you like to pretend you don’t have squishy feelings or whatever, so we won’t torture you by doing this in front of people. _

**_I wanted to watch you squirm, but Tally’s holding my English paper hostage._ **

_ Correct. Anyway, _

**We love you, Rae. A lot (I guess). And we know the year hasn’t been easy**

_ It’s only been a semester, Abby. _

**What??? No. I’ve aged at least ten years.**

_ Nope. Like, four months. Tops. _

**Unbelievable. Anyway, it’s been hard for everyone, but we know you’ve been hurting a lot. And there’s not a whole lot we can do about it, really, despite what Tally thinks.**

_ Never underestimate the power of my hugs, Abigail. Rae, we just want you to know that we love you and we care, and we can see when you’re hurting. Even though you try to hide it or brush us off. We’re always here for you, and we’d do anything for you. _

**Yeah I know how to dispose of a body. It’s really not hard, we just need some pigs.**

_ I think we’re getting off-subject here. _

**Sorry. But Tally’s right, Rae. We’re your sisters, whether you admit it or not, and we’re always here for you. And your other friends are too. So get over it.**

_ So eloquent, thanks Abs. _

**Tal if I let you run the conversation, it’ll just get sappy and heavy and that’s gross. Raelle agrees with me.**

_ Shush. Rae, these are for you. From your sisters, and your friends who also care about you. And Anacostia, but I’m not supposed to tell you that. Show’s what she’s learned. ;) _

**We all pitched in and you got two weeks to break ‘em in, Shitbird, then it’s championship time. No screw-ups.**

_ Abby… _

**Fine, dammit. Win or lose, Rae, it doesn’t matter, because I already have you and Tally. And you have us.**

_ Now who’s making people cry? _

**Don’t ruin it, Tal. Love you, Rae.**

_ Love you Rae <3 _

_ Tally _

**Abigail**

_ ~Glory~ _

Bridey

_ Byron :P _

**_Libba_ **

_ Adil _

_ (Anacostia too but on god we never told you that) _

  
  


Raelle put the letter down, her hands shaking. She wiped furiously at her eyes, dashing away tears. She sat on her bed for several minutes, the box in her lap. She already knew what she would find inside.

Finally she pulled off the lid, and there they were.

The cleats were a nice, muted blue, different from the usual white. They were crisp and clean, the laces were neatly tied and tucked away, and the leather felt soft against her fingers. The quality was top of the line, and Raelle knew these shoes would last her for years.

Suddenly, Raelle stood up from her bed, placing her new cleats carefully on top of her duffel. She started changing her clothes, tossing her dirty ones in the hamper and dashing into the bathroom to wash up. All of a sudden, she wanted to join in the celebration at Fort Salem, despite the late hour.

There were people there that she liked and cared about, and who cared about her in return. Finally that didn’t seem so scary to her. It was kind of… exciting. Something to look forward to.

She threw on some fresh clothes, dumped her old cleats in the trash, and looked over her new ones one more time, smiling like an idiot.

Then she went to go find her sisters.

~.~

Early Saturday morning, the majority of the lacrosse team found themselves waking up in the common room of Fort Salem.

Abigail and Tally were laid out on the couch with Raelle spread between them. Glory was curled in an armchair, with Libba on the floor in front of her. The rest of the girls were similarly spread out across the room, and everyone began to wake as the sun flooded unfiltered through the windows.

They blinked the sleep from their eyes, sitting up and stretching the kinks out of their joints. Groans could be heard as they began to clamber to their feet, stumbling towards the kitchen, outside, or the bathroom.

The team had the weekend off to relax and study. Finals were in a week, and championships were a week after that. They had made it to the end, but there was still work to be done.

It could wait until Monday though, mostly. They would enjoy their two days off, relaxing and resting for the fight to come.

The Bellweather Unit gathered themselves and started heading towards the dining hall for breakfast. After much grumbling, Abigail finally agreed to carry the half-asleep Raelle piggyback. Tally, no longer allowing her friend to avoid her, towed Glory along. Libba trotted to catch up. Along the way, they met up with Adil who joined them.

Despite the chill, the Unit felt warm. The sky was clear of clouds; the sun had burned the morning fog away. They had climbed the hill, and all their rewards were waiting now at the bottom.

But they would stay for a time at the top, and appreciate the journey.

~.~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are officially done with like 90% of canon compliance. We are off the rails now, lol.
> 
> That Tally/Glory scene wasn't in my og plan but I needed some filler so. Time For Gay™. (The pairing was in the plan though.)
> 
> This weeks beautiful art brought to you by Mizhuin. Find her on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mizhuin/), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mizhuin), and [Tumblr](https://mizhuin.tumblr.com/) and show some love for this much-needed Raylla content.
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


	10. X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the main event...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's a grande finale without a little anticipation? :D
> 
> That's what I tell myself to justify the delay in posting, lol. To be fair, this chapter got extremely long. It might be longer than the episode it's based on...
> 
> Absolutely cannot believe we're finally at the end. It's been such a massive project and there's been so many people who offered support and advice. I can't shout everyone out, but special thanks to my friend Maple who informed me that lacrosse is in fact a spring sport... :shrug:
> 
> Disclaimer: small mention of death, referring to Raelle's mother. Also, in this house we support aro/ace people and anyone who falls on that spectrum. Don't like it? Read something else.

_X: the area past the crease_

The week between that semi-final game and exams was filled with light practice, so the girls could have more time to study. The brief respite and increased study time helped take some of the weight off the coming game. It allowed the girls time to sort their nerves, and tie up loose ends before the winter break.

Most students would be going home for the break, but several would elect to stay on campus. Salem U would remain open between semesters, albeit in a limited capacity, to house students who could not so easily return to their families.

Raelle was one such student, and she eyed her Unit mates’ recently dug out suitcases with apprehension. So far, the plan was that both of them would be returning home for the four week break, and would return mid-January when classes started up again. Tally and Glory would be headed back to California, and Abigail would be going wherever it was she said the Bellweathers “winter”.

Edwin had offered to book a flight for Raelle to come home, but she had declined. She didn’t want him to have to work all the extra hours for it, and undoubtedly he'd be working most of the time she was there anyway. It was easier if she remained at Salem U.

Initially, Raelle had been looking forward to this mini-vacation from the roommates she couldn’t stand. A little peace and quiet, a little privacy- she couldn’t think of a better way to spend a holiday. But now things were different, and she found that she wasn’t so much looking forward to being alone again.

She elected not to say anything about her misgivings, however. Tally, she knew, was already worried about her coming isolation, and she didn’t want to worry the girl more. Besides, she wouldn’t be _completely_ alone…

Scylla would be staying on campus as well.

~.~

Scylla slammed her textbook shut over her notes in frustration. Sighing in exasperation, she ran a hand through her hair and pushed back from her desk. She rubbed her eyes tiredly before rising to pace her small room, thinking hard.

Not about exams though.

Izadora and Alder had offered her extensions on all her finals to make up for the time she had missed, but Scylla had turned them down. Academics had always come easily to her and she wasn’t worried about not knowing the material. She was confident that she would do very well on all her finals in the coming days.

She just wished she was half as confident about a certain lacrosse player.

So far, things looked promising. After their talk in the Necro Den, Scylla and Raelle had continued to meet up once a day. Usually they would just eat together in the dining hall, talk about their days, exams, practice- little things. Never anything heavy, always lots of people around, and always Raelle sat across from her.

Until yesterday.

_“Oh it’s crowded in here, gross,” Raelle said behind her as they collected their food. “Wanna go somewhere else?”_

_Scylla looked around. It was late for lunchtime and most of the students had come and gone by now. There were still a good number of latecomers in the dining hall, but not necessarily what Scylla would consider a crowd._

_She turned to Raelle and said, “Yeah, we can. Fort Salem? I can get us in, I know a girl.” She winked._

_“Cute. No, I was thinking the Den. It’s quiet.”_

_“Sure, love to eat on the floor of a dark greenhouse,” Scylla joked. When she saw Raelle frown, however, she quickly added, “No, I’m just kidding! The Den is fine, let’s go.”_

_She smiled and Raelle nodded and off they went._

_The garden and greenhouse area was quiet this time of day. Most students would be resting or studying, or taking early finals by now. Scylla and Raelle weren’t challenged or bothered as they made their way through the many colorful flowers and plants to the small fungus house._

_Scylla let them in and they made their way to the back wall. There was a small corner that was just empty enough for them to occupy and be out of sight from the door- though for once they weren’t actually trespassing._

_Scylla took her usual place in the corner, her back propped against one wall and her legs stretched out parallel to the adjacent wall. She expected Raelle would then settle herself a few feet away, leaning back against a table._

_So Scylla was pretty stunned when Raelle sat next to her, back against the wall adjoining hers so that they were perpendicular. Raelle slid down so she was wedged between the wall and Scylla’s legs, before draping her own legs over Scylla’s._

_Scylla froze, not sure what to do. This was the first time Raelle had touched her since…_

The wedding. She hasn’t touched me since we danced at the wedding. She kissed me and then…

_Scylla didn’t move as Raelle settled herself, half-thinking that maybe Raelle had sat there by mistake. Maybe out of old habit. But Raelle didn’t seem inclined to move, setting out her food and taking her jacket off to stuff it behind her as a cushion._

_Eventually Raelle noticed that Scylla had not moved yet._

_“You okay?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow. When Scylla nodded she asked, “Is this okay?” looking down to where their legs overlapped._

_Scylla nodded again, harder. Raelle chuckled and went back to her sandwich, while Scylla shook her head clear and got out her own food. Their meal went as usual after that, mostly, where they chatted about nothing in particular. Like friends._

_But Scylla was distracted by the electricity surging through her legs where Raelle was touching her._

_Scylla longed to press herself against Raelle’s side, tuck herself under her arm, bury her face into her neck- like she used to. Anything just to touch her, feel the warmth seep in. She remembered how soft Raelle’s skin was beneath her fingertips, her lips…_

_Every time her thoughts would travel in that direction, Scylla would forcibly snap herself out of it. She was trying hard to be a good friend, and those were not the kind of thoughts a ‘friend’ should have._

_Scylla was okay if ‘friends’ was all they would ever be, after what had happened. She would take Raelle being in her life in whatever way she could have her, though she desperately wanted more. She was determined not to pressure Raelle though, continuing to let her set the pace of their new relationship- whatever it was or would become._

_Scylla was trying not to get her hopes up, despite the change in seating, but she couldn't help but hope a little bit, especially when Raelle seemed a little more happy and animated today. Her smile reached her eyes, she laughed just a little easier, and the banter flowed just a little smoother._

_Once they both finished eating, they stuffed their trash in a bag and set it aside. Usually, this would be where they said their goodbyes, made plans for the next day, and departed. But Raelle didn’t rise, remaining seated against the wall, trapping Scylla’s legs._

_They sat in silence for several moments, Scylla not daring to move. Raelle’s head was leaned back against the wall, face turned up, eyes closed. Scylla could tell she was thinking hard about something, and she found herself holding her breath in anticipation._

_Finally, Raelle said, “I missed you, Scyl.”_

_Emotion welled up in Scylla’s throat, preventing a response. It had been a long time too since she had heard that name._

_After swallowing the lump in her throat, Scylla croaked out, “I missed you too.”_

_She nearly added another apology to the end, but decided against it. The time for apologies was done, now it was just about the healing._

_After another pause, Raelle’s hand moved from her stomach and came to rest on the small space of floor between them, palm up._

_Scylla stared at the hand for a long moment. She gave up trying to quiet her racing heart, and focused on her thoughts instead._

It could’ve just… flopped there accidentally.

You are being thick, take the hand before she thinks you’re not interested anymore.

What if she’s just being nice or something?

TAKE. THE. HAND.

_Very cautiously, Scylla reached her hand out towards Raelle’s. Lightly, she brushed her fingertips across the upturned palm, testing the waters. When Raelle didn’t immediately snatch her hand away, Scylla tentatively slid hers all the way into it, clasping it loosely._

_Raelle, eyes still closed, chuckled and said, “Weirdo,” before lacing their fingers together._

_Scylla smiled brightly, a warm feeling spreading throughout her whole body, emanating from their intertwined fingers. She settled in, resting her head back against the wall, basking in the comfortable silence._

_Soon after, they did part ways, classes and practice pulling them in different directions once more. When they stood, Raelle squeezed Scylla’s hand before letting them slide apart. She didn’t kiss Scylla, or even hug her, but Scylla didn’t mind._

_It was a step in the right direction._

Scylla slumped onto her bed, still thinking about that moment. Her hand had tingled for the rest of the day, and she had gone to the library to study still smiling like an idiot.

Despite it being such a small, simple act, Scylla felt that just being able to hold hands again was a big step forward. It meant that Raelle was trusting her again, and letting down her walls. It gave Scylla hope that she might find a place in Raelle’s life once more.

And yet…

Scylla sighed, rising once more to pace the room. It was such a small thing, and it was probably all in her head. But it had stung a bit, realizing the place she once had by Raelle was well and truly gone, and she would need to carve out a new one. 

_Today they met again- for an early lunch this time. They had eaten in the relatively empty dining hall before trudging off to the library in the fresh December snow. Along the way, Raelle had taken her hand once more, and Scylla once again felt her face heating up. It wasn’t quite as good through their gloves, but she still held on tightly._

_Scylla was looking forward to an afternoon of studying with Raelle. They hadn’t specifically planned on it, but it had seemed to be heading in that direction. She thought maybe they could find an out-of-the-way corner, maybe get lucky and snag a couple unoccupied armchairs. Or get really lucky and there only be one of the big ones available…_

_Her hopes were dashed upon arrival at the library, however. Two tall, lanky individuals were waiting inside the first set of doors. One was perched cross-legged on a side table, the other was reading notices on the wall._

_Almost as if they could sense their approach, Abigail and Tally turned at the same time once Scylla and Raelle came into view of the door. And Scylla didn’t miss the way the girl next to her brightened when her Unit mates came over once they were inside._

Oh yeah, a lot has changed here.

New dynamic, it seems. They care about each other a great deal now.

Yeah so where do I fit in here? _Do_ I fit in here?

_Scylla frowned sadly as Raelle’s hand slipped from hers when she jogged forward to greet her Unit mates. She lingered by the door as they met in the middle of the small vestibule._

_“Hey!” Raelle said brightly. “What are you guys doing here?”_

_“At a library? During finals week? Well gee, I don’t know. Tal, what are we doing here?” Abigail said, turning to Tally._

_Where Scylla would’ve expected Raelle to get mad, she instead just rolled her eyes and shoved Abigail lightly._

_“Shut up. You were going to be in Fort Salem.”_

_“Well, things change. Some dumb Freshman made an unholy monstrosity on the stove in the kitchen and now the whole place reeks.”_

_Tally hung her head. “It’s me. I’m the dumb Freshman.”_

_Abigail gave her a pat on the back, saying, “It’s okay, Tal. We still love you. Even if we did almost have to call the CDC.”_

_The three of them laughed and Scylla was struck by how well they seemed to fit together. They had clearly grown much closer and there was genuine care and affection between the three of them now. When Tally leaned an arm on Raelle’s shoulder, Scylla was shocked by the casual affection, and that Raelle seemed fine with it._

_Suddenly she felt very out of place. She stood there awkwardly, fiddling with her fingers until Raelle turned back to her._

_“Hey, Scyl, come on! We have a study group now, apparently. Join us,” Raelle said, smiling._

_Scylla looked uncertainly between Raelle’s Unit mates. One was glaring, the other was watching her appraisingly._

_“Um, maybe I’ll just go back to my room and study there. I don’t want to interrupt the group session.”_

_Raelle frowned. “Are you sure? We don’t mind, and you’re smarter than these two, so, obviously I need your help.”_

_It was an offer that Scylla had been waiting to hear, and now she was going to turn it down._

_“Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll just, um, see you tomorrow?”_

_“No, my finals start tomorrow. So do yours.”_

_Scylla bit her lip nervously as irritation began to creep across Raelle’s face._

You are _blowing_ this. Go with her!

I can’t. She has a _group_ now, and it doesn’t include me. How am I supposed to fit in there? So much has happened since I’ve been gone. She’s got more people now, who she clearly cares for and trusts. How long until she realizes I don’t fit into that group? I missed my chance of being in it.

Well you’ll definitely never find a place waiting outside.

_As she panicked, Scylla saw Tally lean down and whisper into Raelle’s ear. A look of understanding quickly dawned on Raelle’s face, and she turned back to Tally and nodded. She took her gloves and coat off, handing them to Tally and nodded toward the inner library doors. Tally winked at her and hooked an arm around Abigail’s waist, drawing them both inside the library proper._

_Left alone in the warm vestibule, Raelle approached Scylla, pulling the dark blue beanie off her head and shoving it in her back pocket. Scylla swallowed nervously, shoving down her flight instinct._

_She would not run from this girl again._

_Raelle stood in front of her, arms crossed and head tilted._

_“You know, we’re both lucky that Tally’s here,” Raelle said. “I still suck at the whole ‘snap judgement’ thing.” She shrugged apologetically._

_Scylla waited, still silent. Raelle pulled the beanie out of her pocket and pulled it down over Scylla’s head. For a brief moment, Scylla could feel Raelle’s fingers brushing against her skin as she moved the hair out of her face. Raelle’s hand trailed down over Scylla’s cheek, stroking softly over her jaw. Scylla felt her heart pounding in her chest and her breath caught._

_“Come find me after your last final?” Raelle asked softly._

_Scylla nodded. Raelle’s thumb stroked over her cheek one last time before her hand fell away and she headed into the library._

_Scylla watched her go before tugging the hat down firmly over her ears and heading back out into the snow._

Scylla crossed to her dresser, picking up the blue beanie that was folded on top of it. She ran it between her fingers, feeling the softness of the material. It still smelled like Raelle’s shampoo and Scylla had to stop herself from pressing it to her face.

She placed it back down on the dresser, next to an open, empty wooden box. She ran her fingers along this too, wistfully. Scylla wasn’t sure what had happened to the odd bird skull charm that had once resided in the box; neither Anacostia nor Raelle had made mention of it. Scylla didn’t want to ask about it either, out of fear that it may seem like she was asking Raelle for more.

She flopped back into her bed, exasperated.

_There’s nothing you can do but wait until finals are over._

_Ages from now._

_Two days._

_That is what I said._

_Is she not worth the wait?_

_That is_ not _what I said._

_Better focus on studying. Scholarship or not, you can’t really come back if you fail out._

Scylla sat up in her bed, pulling her books over to her. There really was no point in dwelling- she would see Raelle in a couple of days and that was that. She’d see where they would land. Scylla again tried not to get her hopes up, but a few things were certain:

She would fight tooth and nail to keep this girl in her life.

She would do anything to carve out her own place.

She was still choosing Raelle.

~.~

Finals were stressful enough when your roommate wasn’t pining after some girl, in Abigail’s opinion. And, she realized sadly, that no longer applied only to Raelle.

_For the life of me I can’t figure out why Tally hasn’t talked to Glory about this yet. I guess it’s hard when there’s a lifetime of friendship on the line, and either way it’ll never be the same, but still._

Even though Tally and Glory had gone back to being mostly joined at the hip, there was a slight strain that was apparent to… pretty much everyone.

The one time Abigail brought it up, Tally shushed her. When Raelle kept poking at it, Tally had dumped a blanket over her and sat on her for almost an hour while they studied in their room.

Still, it didn’t feel like avoidance, on Tally’s part. It felt more like Tally was waiting out the right moment. Or waiting to let Glory feel more comfortable that Tally wouldn’t spring anything one her. Abigail was fine to let them work it out, as long as it never got as bad as Raelle pining over Scylla.

‘Pining’ might be the wrong word though. It was obvious Raelle was still in love with Scylla, but something was holding her back. Abigail wasn’t sure what, but again- Tally’s territory. But with Tally distracted by Glory, finals, and championships, she didn’t have as much time to talk to Raelle about it, though Abigail knew she wanted to.

So she would watch Raelle flip back and forth between happy about spending time with Scylla again, to looking pensive about something. The coin and bird skull charm had emerged by now as well, taking a place on Raelle’s side table.

It was all very complicated and dramatic.

For her part, Abigail had been feeling pretty pleased with herself lately. Things had been going well with Adil, and she felt her feelings for him grow everyday. They hadn’t really put a label on anything yet, or talked about ‘them’ much, but she could feel that it was special. The way she felt about him was unlike anything she had felt for someone before.

And she had been finding her place on the field as well. Ever since the quarter final match, Abigail and Libba had been putting their heads together more and more. They had quickly realized that they worked very well together, and that their styles complimented each other.

Libba had a very focused view on the field and a great instinct of when to charge forward. Abigail had a good eye for the overall, big picture. With information constantly being fed to her from Tally and Raelle, she had a grasp of the whole team’s movement. She and Libba had been working on communicating those things to each other quickly and efficiently during play. An effort that was already paying off and being noticed by Anacostia. 

The one dark spot was the inevitable return of her mother.

It'd been a while since Abigail had heard from her, but she knew better than to think anything had changed. She knew that the moment her mother called, she would be out of Salem University and off to West Point. Part of her wished the semester would drag on longer, if only to give her more time with Adil. More time with her sisters.

But there would never be enough time for her to figure out how to say goodbye.

For the moment, she felt in control of things. But she knew it wouldn’t last long. She knew that in a little over a week, she would be leaving for winter break and in all likelihood, she would not return to Salem U.

But of course, even that she couldn’t control.

Because on a perfectly normal Tuesday afternoon, three days before championships and hours after Abigail’s last final-

Petra Bellweather returned once more to Salem University.

~.~

Tally had done her best to give Raelle space when it came to Scylla and figuring out their relationship, but now she could sense it was time for her to step in. She could tell that Raelle had reached a place where she wanted to take the next step with Scylla, but something was holding her back and she couldn’t figure out how to do it.

So between her own maneuvering around her relationship with Glory, studying, and practices, Tally watched for an opportunity.

It came Tuesday afternoon, in Fort Salem.

For once, it was clear of other students and Tally and Raelle had the place to themselves. They each were studying for their last final, which was tomorrow. Tally was perched in an overstuffed armchair while Raelle was splayed out on the couch next to her.

Once she saw Raelle put her book down for a break, Tally decided to speak up.

“Hey Rae, you wanna talk?”

Raelle glanced over as she stretched.

“‘Bout what?”

“Oh, I dunno. Anything, really. School stuff, lacrosse stuff… girl stuff.”

Raelle rolled her eyes, sitting back on the couch and kicking her feet over the armrest.

“I was wondering when you’d butt in, Tal. It’s been like a week and a half already. I was worried.”

“Hey, I know the right time to butt in, okay? The time is now, and here is my butt,” Tally replied, getting up and planting herself on the couch next to Raelle, who had to sit up quickly to avoid being sat on.

“Classy.”

“That’s me,” Tally said, squishing Raelle against the armrest. “So. Tell me. What is going on?”

Raelle sighed, dropping her head.

“I’m not sure. We’ve been spending a lot of time together, and it’s been… pretty great, actually,” she said with a small smile. But then she frowned, saying, “I’m just… confused.”

“About how you feel about her?”

“No, no, not that. I…” Raelle paused, taking a deep breath. “I love her, still, I think. I’m not sure I ever stopped. It’s hard to tell. But I still love her, Tal. I’m _in_ love with her. I know it.”

Internally, Tally was celebrating, but she kept her composure on the outside.

“Sounds terrible, Rae, to be certain of how you feel.”

“Excuse me, Abigail is the one who torments me with sarcasm. _You_ are supposed to provide me with legitimate advice.”

“Oh, cute, you think Abigail’s the only one who gets to tease you. Go on though.”

Raelle glared but continued, “So it’s not that I’m unsure of how I feel, it’s just…”

Tally waited patiently, taking Raelle’s hand in hers. She knew Raelle had made a lot of great progress over the past months- there was a time when she would _never_ have opened up like this, to Tally or anyone- but Tally knew it was still difficult for her to express herself.

“Shouldn’t I feel different? Shouldn’t I feel, I don’t know, hesitant? Or suspicious? Or mad still, even?” Raelle finally asked.

_Ohhhhh, that’s the problem!_

_…_

_Does this school offer a class on emotional maturity? Because I’m signing her up. And Abby too, probably._

“You think you’re forgiving her too fast. That you’ve moved on from what she did too soon.”

“She lied to me, Tal. In a really big way. She _used_ me. Shouldn’t I be more upset about it? Shouldn’t it take me longer to trust her again? I know she regrets it and feels bad and all, but still. Why don’t I feel that stuff? It’s only been a little over a week that she’s been back.”

Tally smiled, waiting for Raelle to finish venting.

Once she had, Tally said, “Rae, to be fair, you _did_ feel a lot of those things, and more. I know you did because I was on the receiving end of some of them,” she added, nudging Raelle with her shoulder.

Raelle chuckled and shrugged apologetically.

Tally continued, “There’s no set amount of time you have to devote to feeling a certain way about something, or to processing things. I know you were determined not to let your heart go before your head and jump back into things; I know you’ve been thinking about it hard. If you still feel like you’re just ready to forgive and move on, it might just be because you _are_ ready.”

Tally put a hand under Raelle’s chin, lifting her head to meet her eyes.

“Rae, I’ve seen you and Scylla together. I’ve seen you after you’ve been talking to her. You guys just fit, I don’t know how to explain it. You understand each other and you feel safe with each other. Is it really so surprising that you might understand and forgive someone you’re so compatible with?”

Raelle shrugged, and Tally let her pull her face away.

“I don’t know. I guess not. I just… I know, I can _feel_ it, that she would never do anything like that to me again. She would never betray me again. But I guess I’ve just never been one to go with my feelings.” Tally raised an eyebrow. “Well, not my good ones. You do, though.”

“I’m just a little more in tune than you are. I _think_ you’re asking for my advice, but even if you’re not I’m giving it anyway: don’t fight what you’re feeling, Rae. If you love her, and you want to be with her, then just do it. Don't waste the time. There’s never enough.”

Raelle sat for a few moments, staring at the floor. Finally, she looked up and Tally was relieved to see her smile.

“Alright, I will. I’ll talk to her.” She started to rise but Tally pulled her back down.

“Ah ah, no. _After_ finals. Studying now, girls later.”

At that moment, Glory entered the common room, spotting Tally and Raelle and waving.

As she waved back, Raelle said, “Speaking of…” She gave Tally a pointed look.

Tally said, “Studying _now_ , girls _later_.” And she winked.

Glory didn’t stay, instead heading off to the kitchen. Once she left, Raelle settled back into the couch, pressing herself into Tally’s side. Tally wrapped an arm around her, kissing her on the head as they picked up their books once more.

“Thanks Tally.”

Of course, Rae. I love you.”

Raelle didn’t say it back, but Tally saw her smile.

~.~

Sometimes, it’s the little things that say something is amiss. Maybe a book isn’t quite where it was left, or a chair is slightly out of place. Maybe a door is left ajar or a light is on that definitely had been turned off before. Maybe it’s the air in the room, still and stale, after nothing has moved in it for a long time.

And sometimes, you don’t need the little things to tell you something is amiss, when an entire person has clearly been moved out of a room, and now you’re waiting there to tell her Unit.

Such was Anacostia’s predicament on that Tuesday night, when Raelle and Tally walked in. It took them a moment, she could tell, to process the empty bed, the missing books and bags, the clear desk space.

One less blue and gold jersey hanging on the wall.

She watched them stare around the room, confused, until they noticed her sitting at the desk. She stood and approached them, not enjoying having to deliver more bad news to these girls.

But Anacostia had no fools on her team.

Before she could say anything, the confusion gave way to shock and disbelief. Tally was shaking her head before Anacostia got her mouth open; Raelle’s hands were fists before the first syllable came out. 

“Ladies-”

And that was about all she got out.

“No,” Tally said. “She’s not gone, she can’t be.”

“Well-”

“How is that even possible?”

“Petra has powerful friends, and-”

“This is ridiculous.”

“I kno-”

“No!” Tally exclaimed. “Absolutely not! This is a complete betrayal of everything _you_ taught us. Unit this, Unit that. What kind of justice is this?” 

Tally paced near Abigail’s bed furiously, words pouring out of her. Raelle was sitting on her own bed, watching quietly. Anacostia couldn’t even begin to guess what was going on in her mind.

She couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing from the usually explosive girl.

“Every single thing that we worked and trained for was a complete joke,” Tally continued.

“Are you surprised, Tal?” Raelle asked.

“Yes! I am!” Tally cried.

Interestingly, Raelle did not sound angry, to Anacostia. She sounded surprised herself, as if she also couldn’t believe Abigail had really just left them.

“Ladies we are days away from our final game,” Anacostia said, finally getting a full sentence out.

“This is so fast,” Tally said. Emotions were overwhelming her and her voice came out stuttered and breathy.

“You need to put this to bed, and get your heads in the game.”

Anacostia paused while Raelle and Tally looked at each other sadly. She empathized with them, but she still wanted them focused. Not only for the team and the game, but also to help them get past this.

“Be smart out there. Make me proud,” she told them.

Suddenly, Tally went to Anacostia and hugged her. Anacostia stiffened in shock and disbelief. At the last second, she decided not to wrench away and let the girl hug her, though she didn’t return it.

“Thank you for taking care of us,” Tally said softly once she had let go.

Anacostia nodded stiffly and stated towards the door.

She said, “I need you two to succeed in this game and in class, so you can come back and continue to frustrate me and age me prematurely.” She smiled and it brought a chuckle out of both girls.

“Yes ma’am,” they chorused.

In the doorway, Anacostia felt a hand on her arm. She turned to find Raelle behind her with an odd look on her face.

“Thank you,” she said, “with all that stuff about Scylla. It, um, it helped me. Us. You know.” She trailed off, looking about as uncomfortable as Anacostia felt. Anacostia nodded and left the room.

She paused in the hallway, however, listening at the open door.

“I can’t believe Abby would leave without saying goodbye to us,” Tally said. It sounded like she was crying. Anacostia heard the sound of two people sitting on a creaky bed. “This is crazy!” Tally exclaimed.

There was no response to that, but the sniffling sounds continued. Anacostia peeked in the door and saw Tally sitting on Abigail’s bed, leaning into Raelle next to her. Raelle had her arms around Tally’s shoulder and her face pressed on top of her head as they held each other.

Anacostia pulled her head back and left, a bad taste in her mouth.

~.~

The next twenty four hours passed in a blur. Word traveled fast, especially in Fort Salem, and several people had already stopped by to see if the rumors were true.

Libba was mad at Abigail for ditching, but it was easy to see she was also sad for losing someone who had only recently become a good friend and ally.

Glory was sad Abigail was gone, but mostly she was concerned for Tally who was taking it very hard.

Adil was devastated. He kept his composure while Raelle and Tally broke the news to him, and he wasn’t entirely shocked that it had finally happened, but they could tell he was holding back grief and disappointment. He missed practice that night.

Even Byron called Tally’s phone, to offer kind words. He stayed on the phone with Raelle for over an hour, and if she cried a little, he was nice enough not to mention it.

Tally eventually caved and called her mother. Their relationship had steadily improved over the semester, and May Craven was able to calm her daughter a bit. It wasn’t a lot, but it was something.

In the morning, Tally and Raelle woke up in a daze. They had dumped their mattresses on the floor the night before so they could sleep next to each other, and now they sat up, blinking sleepily in the dawn light. They were confused by their surroundings for a moment, before the previous night’s events came flooding back.

They avoided looking at Abigail’s bed as they went about their morning routines.

They made it through their last exams on auto-pilot, and later on, practice went similarly. It was something of a mess as Anacostia suddenly had a large gap to fill with a second string attacker.

Like Adil, Bridey was nowhere to be seen. But likely she had returned to New York with the Bellweathers. That turned out to be a disappointment as well, as when she hadn’t been bullying Abigail she had been offering valuable input to the rest of the team.

After practice, Raelle was the last one on the field. She was sitting on the bench, long after everyone else had gone, shivering in the cold despite her coat and multiple layers. She ignored it though. She had one foot propped up on her knee, and she was running her fingers along the soft leather of her new cleats, thinking.

Eventually, she became aware of another presence sitting next to her. She looked up, expecting Tally, but finding Scylla.

They looked at each other for a moment, not saying anything, before Raelle’s face crumpled and she leaned into Scylla’s side. Scylla wrapped both arms around her and held her close, pressing her lips into Raelle’s hair.

They said nothing still, just sat there together for a while. Eventually, Raelle pulled away and sat up, rubbing some warmth back into her frozen cheeks; Scylla pulled the dark blue beanie further down over her own ears. Raelle saw this and smiled, letting out a small laugh.

“You can’t keep that forever you know,” she said. "I'll need it back."

“Well, you know where to find it,” Scylla retorted.

They smiled and stood, preparing to go their separate ways. As Scylla turned to leave, Raelle suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her back, drawing her into a fierce hug. Scylla froze only for a second before returning it. Raelle had her arms wrapped solidly around Scylla’s shoulders, holding her as close as she could; Scylla’s hands were grasping her waist. Raelle buried her face into Scylla’s neck, breathing deeply, and she was filled with the familiar scent of this girl she had nearly lost.

“Scylla, promise me, _promise_ me, that you won’t disappear on me. Not again. _Please_ Scyl, I can’t… I just, can’t. Please don’t vanish again,” she pleaded, her words muffled.

Scylla’s arms tightened around her, her hands slipping inside Raelle’s coat so they could both feel the warmth.

“I promise, Raelle. I’m not going anywhere, or if I do, you are coming with me. I won’t lose you again." She hesitated only a second before saying, "I love you.”

Raelle didn’t say it back, but she made sure Scylla could feel her smile against her skin.

~.~

Thursday morning dawned right on schedule, the sun streaming in through the unshaded window. Tally woke up in her own bed, as she and Raelle had put their mattresses back the night before. She still felt heavy from Abigail’s departure, and laid in bed for several minutes, instead of hopping out right away like usual.

This delay meant she heard Raelle get up first, dragging herself out of bed and stumbling into the bathroom. She heard when Raelle tripped over something in the middle of the room and started swearing at Tally for leaving her duffel in the middle of the floor, even though Tally knew she had left it in the desk chair.

She heard when Raelle paused her swearing before shouting, “Are you fucking kidding me?!”

And she heard when Abigail replied, “Do you have to shout so much? People are still sleeping, you know.”

The next several minutes were a blur, due in no small part to the small concussion Tally probably gave herself diving out of her bed. She landed on the floor- nearly on Raelle- and noticed several things in quick succession: the duffel on the floor that said BELLWEATHER, the clothes in the closet, more books on the desk, pictures back on the corkboard.

A third blue and gold jersey on the wall.

And in the freestanding bed: Abigail Bellweather.

Tally threw herself on top of Abigail, who fell backwards on the bed laughing. She shoved her face into her sister's shoulder, holding onto her tightly in case she tried to leave again. She pressed several kisses to the side of Abigail’s face while Abigail hugged her back, still laughing.

Finally Tally let her stand up and she wiped the tears from her own eyes, one arm still around Abigail. She got a smile and a head-kiss from Abigail in her own turn. They both looked over to where Raelle was waiting, watching Abigail like she was very happy to see her, but also trying very hard to hide it.

Eventually Raelle laughed and joined them in the hug. Abigail extended her arm to drag Raelle in, shoving her between Tally and herself.

“Hey, Shitbird,” Abigail said, kissing the top of Raelle’s head. The Unit stood there for several moments, hugging each other and everyone trying not to cry again.

Tally pulled back enough to let Raelle breathe and said, “How?”

Abigail shrugged and said, “I had a talk with my mom. Well, I talked, she listened. Or, I just kept talking over her until she stopped interrupting.” Raelle and Tally both whistled, impressed. “Right? I just told her, she can’t control my life anymore. It’s _my_ life. I am going to do what I want and what makes me happy. I won’t be any less successful because of it. And I told her that I was coming back here, and that I hoped she’d still support me, but if she didn’t then okay.”

“Oh, Abby, are you sure? What if she like, cuts you off or something?” Tally said, worried.

Abigail shrugged again. “Then that’s what happens. I have some savings that I’m like, ninety percent sure she can’t touch. And I can find a job. Anacostia might be able to help. Not with money, but maybe other stuff. And I have you guys, right?”

Raelle rolled her eyes and nodded while Tally said, “Of course you do, Abs. We’re always here for you. We love you, right Rae?”

And Raelle didn’t say it back but they saw her smile.

A small crowd had gathered at the door by now, drawn by all the shouting and swearing.

Libba’s voice called out, “Dammit, we just got the stench out.” She and Abigail glared at each other but a moment later they were laughing while they insulted each other.

Glory slid into the room while that was going on and drew Tally away from where she was opening the window to let some fresh air in.

She said, “Better now, Tally?”

Tally pulled Glory into her arms and leaned down to kiss her cheek. She felt Glory stiffen in surprise and saw her face turn bright red.

“Perfect,” Tally replied.

Down the hall, Tally could hear Anacostia hollering for people to get out of the way and tell her what was going on. Then she heard some swearing, something about “those three” and stomping as Anacostia left.

As people filtered out, even Glory, the Bellweather Unit stood in the middle of their room, looking between each other. They felt happy and giddy, and most of all, whole. They made, in that moment, an unspoken pact, that no one would tear them apart again, and that whatever came next- they were in it together.

It was a powerful moment, one that none of them would ever forget, even if they never brought it up again.

And then Abigail decided that was quite enough sappiness for one morning, scooped up Raelle, and tossed her out the ground-floor window into a snow drift outside.

~.~

With all school stuff finished, the girls had nothing but free time between practices. After all the morning excitement, Tally had been reluctant to let the Unit go their separate ways, but Abigail had been eager to find Adil, and Tally herself now had some unfinished business with Glory. So with the both of them tending to their romantic interests, Raelle decided she would attend to her own.

She trudged her way through the snow towards Scylla’s dorm, shoulders hunched against the cold and wind. She felt nervous, and she felt silly for feeling nervous.

_This is dumb, why should I be nervous?_

_Maybe because nobody ever tells you how to ask your ex-girlfriend- but not really ex because technically you never broke up- on a date._

_Well good news: this barely counts as a date because it’s just a lacrosse game where she gets to sit in the stands and watch while I play. She might not even want to- it’s freezing out._

_Well Byron will be there, he can keep her company._

_That’s_ worse _._

Despite her indecision, Raelle continued walking until she reached Scylla’s building, with no real plan in mind. She went in, brushing the snow off of her boots and hair and hanging her coat in the front hall. A few flights of stairs later and she was outside Scylla’s door, fist raised but not knocking.

_What if she’s not interested anymore? What if I made her wait too long?_

_Since last night? When she said she_ loved _you?_

_Maybe she meant it as friends…_

_Oh my god you absolute disaster lesbian, knock on the fucking door._

She knocked.

After a tense moment, Scylla answered. Her face immediately brightened when she saw Raelle standing there, which eased some of Raelle’s nerves.

“Hi!” Scylla said happily. “Unexpected. But I’m definitely happy to see you,” she added with a smile. “I thought you might be spending the day with your newly-returned Unit mate.”

Raelle was startled. “How-?”

“Word travels ridiculously fast. Plus, she’s kind of a lacrosse star now. People are interested.” With a sly grin she added, “They pay attention to you too, you know.”

Raelle paled and made a face. “Disgusting. Attention. Gross.”

Scylla laughed, leaning against her door frame.

“So what brings you all the way out here?”

“Well, I figured this is where I could find my hat.”

As Scylla chuckled and went to get said hat, she asked, “Right, and the actual reason?”

Raelle took a deep breath and said in a rush, “Will you be my date to the game Saturday?”

Scylla froze on her way back to the door, beanie in hand and mouth open in surprise.

“You- what?”

“Um, my date,” Raelle said, rubbing the back of her neck. “It might be boring, and it’s long and cold so you don’t have to. But we could go somewhere after maybe? Well, if we lose. I don’t know what happens if we win. Something loud, probably. But yeah, you know, my date. Like a real date. Like not-friends-”

Her rambling was cut off when Scylla placed a finger over her lips. She was smiling sweetly, tongue poking out between her teeth.

“I’d love to be your date, Raelle. I would go anyway, just to support you.”

Raelle smiled widely and a knot came loose in her chest.

“Cool! Oh, wait.” Raelle thumped her head with her fist. “I’m dumb, there’s totally a players’ brunch before that. It’s for family and guests. Also, indoors. So, maybe you want to be my date to that instead?”

Scylla giggled, “Can I only choose one? What if I’m just your date for the whole day?”

“That… also works.” Raelle smiled awkwardly. “Oh, um, also- my friend Byron will be there. He’s, um… I’m sorry.” She shrugged apologetically.

“Ominous. Sounds fun,” Scylla said with a wink. 

“Okay, um, great! So, I’ll see you Saturday? In the dining hall? About eleven.”

“It’s a date,” Scylla said, smiling. “You don’t want to come in for a while?”

“I would but I have practice in a few hours. I don’t want to be late.”

“How would you be- oh.” Scylla swallowed heavily as Raelle raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. “I see, you’re flirting with me. Tease.”

“Since August, yeah,” Raelle said. “But thanks for finally noticing.”

Scylla shook her head and shoved her lightly out of the doorway. Raelle blocked the door from closing though and leaned through, putting a hand on Scylla’s waist to pull her forward. Slowly she leaned in and pressed her lips to Scylla’s cheek for a moment, hearing her breath hitch. Raelle pulled away and saw Scylla’s face was as red as hers felt.

She smiled and said, “See you Saturday, Scyl.”

Scylla nodded and bit her lip, closing the door.

Raelle got to the front hall before she realized she forgot her beanie.

~.~

It took a while, but Tally eventually tracked Glory down in the library. She was on the top floor, buried deep in the stacks and sitting on a cushion surrounded by books.

“Aren’t you done with your finals?” Tally said, startling Glory out of her reading.

“Oh, um, yes, I just-” Glory scrambled, moving books out of her way and getting to her feet. “I was just looking at some stuff for next semester’s classes. Getting an early start, you know?”

Tally chuckled, “Always so studious. Don’t you want a break? Next semester will come soon enough.”

“Right. You’re right. I should take a break.” She began to edge her way around Tally, hugging the bookshelf. “I’ll just, uh, go do that now.”

Tally put her hand out, blocking Glory’s exit. Glory kept her eyes down, not meeting Tally’s gaze.

Tally said softly, “How will you avoid me on the flight home, Glory? We’re seated next to each other.”

Glory flinched and looked up sheepishly.

“I’m sorry, Tally. I know I haven’t really been around lately…”

“I want to talk, Glory. One way or the other, I want my best friend back. I miss you,” Tally said, placing a hand on her friend’s cheek. Glory sighed and nodded. 

They sat down in the aisle next to each other, leaning back against the shelf. Glory’s knees were pulled up to her chest, while Tally had her legs stretched out in front of her. She held one of Glory’s hands between her own, rubbing her thumb across the back.

“So?” Tally prompted.

Glory sighed, “You have to know by now. You’ve become so perceptive since we got here. More, I dunno, in tune with things.”

“Yes and it mostly just gives me a headache. But also, I want to hear it from you. One of the many things I’ve learned since coming here: people should be able to speak for themselves, and not have someone only going off what they’ve gathered or heard from others.”

“I… I don’t want to be friends, Tally. Not ‘just’ friends. I want more than that. I, um, I have- you know- feelings. For you. Not, not ‘just friends’ feelings.” Glory sighed and buried her face in her arms, wrapped around her knees. Her words became muffled. “I love you, Tally, but not like how we always say it. I love you the other way. You know, the romantic one. Have for a long time.”

Tally couldn’t see Glory’s face through the thick curtain of hair, but she imagined it was probably covered in a very nice, dark blush. She chuckled, scooting closer so their sides were pressed together. She brushed the hair out of Glory’s face, tucking it behind her ear and giggling when Glory turned her head to peek at her.

“Eloquent as ever, Glory. I thought you only had trouble speaking to crowds, never to me.”

“Well you try confessing your deep feelings to your lifelong best friend.”

“Okay.”

Glory paused, picking her head up.

“Excuse me?”

Tally smiled at her, taking her hand back.

“I don’t know entirely what’s going to change between us, Glory, or what will happen next, but I want to find out.”

“Wait a minute. Are you saying… Do you feel the same? About me?”

Tally paused, tilting her head to the siding and thinking for a minute.

“I’m not sure. How would we even know? Everyone experiences emotions differently. But here’s what I _do_ know,” she said, turning her upper body towards Glory. “I love you, Glory, I have for years- as my best friend. Maybe it’s not the same as the feeling you have for me, but it’s just as powerful; just as important. I love you, I trust you, I care about you immensely, and I always want you in my life. I don’t know if there’s supposed to be some sudden realization; I don’t think there has to be. I don’t think my feelings for you would _change_ , necessarily, but I think they would grow. I want to find out. With you.”

Tally waited after she was done speaking, watching Glory take in all the words. Slowly, Glory uncurled from her ball, sitting with her legs criss-crossed in front of her. She straightened up, sliding her hand more fully into Tally’s.

“Really? You want to… me? Are you sure?”

Tally chuckled, “Yes, I’m sure.”

“Then.. yes. I want to see what happens next. With you.” Glory smiled brightly at Tally, before her she suddenly scowled. “And, you know, I don’t already have a girlfriend, so nothing to worry about there.”

Tally laughed loudly at that, pulling Glory into a hug. When they parted, Tally rested their foreheads together for a moment, but she didn’t close the distance between their lips just yet. She felt the slight pull of hesitation from her friend.

Instead she leaned back and said, “You don’t want to kiss me yet.” It wasn’t a question, but it also wasn’t an accusation.

Glory winced and said, “No, I do want to- I mean, I’ve wanted to for a long time, I just…”

Tally smiled and brushed her hand along Glory’s cheek gently.

“Too much right now?”

Glory nodded hesitantly.

“That’s okay. We have time. And we never have to do anything you don’t want. Or that I don’t, for that matter. We’ll figure it out.”

Glory sighed in relief, and smiled gratefully at Tally.

“I do want to. Kiss you, I mean. And, you know, whatever else after that.” She paused, then added, “Usually. Not… not always.” Her mouth twisted nervously. “But, we’ll figure it out?” she asked hopefully.

Tally smiled and kissed Glory’s fingers, nodding.

Afterwards, they didn’t quite feel like heading back out into the real world quite yet. So they resettled themselves on the cushions and pulled out Tally’s phone to watch Netflix. Tally sat with her back to the bookcase, with Glory between her legs and resting back against her chest. It was a position they’d been in before but now…

It didn’t feel _different_ , it felt like _growth_. The first step in an evolution.

They were going from best friends to… something. It wasn’t like flipping a switch, there was nothing sudden about it; no clear line to step over.

But it was warm and bright and safe.

And they’d figure it out.

~.~

Saturday. Game day. Women’s College Lacrosse Championship, taking place at Salem University.

The campus buzzed with energy. Students could have left for the break by now, but many had chosen to stay behind long enough to watch the game. Family and alumni had also been pouring in since Friday afternoon, excited to be taking part.

Due to the weather and massive number of attendees, the roof would be drawn over the stadium, much to the relief and comfort of the players and crowd. Practice that morning had been sealed to all visitors; players would be released to see their guests sometime in the early afternoon.

Student volunteers had been working since the early morning to clear pathways of snow and ice, and to decorate the campus in blue and gold. Art students had finished the field banner: a massive, imposing Fury of myth, howling at the sky while a storm raged around her.

In the dining hall, nice tablecloths and dishware had been set out in anticipation of the Players’ Brunch early that afternoon. It was a time for the players of all teams to relax and enjoy the end of the season with a nice, catered brunch along with their family and guests. Various awards would also be handed out, as well as Varsity jackets for the Freshman. Unlike the jerseys, these jackets were identical regardless of string: Dark blue with grey leather sleeves and gold lettering.

Several of the male students from Salem Too had also made an appearance. They swarmed off their buses and flooded toward the dining hall to receive instructions on how they could help with the preparations. They were here in a less official capacity than their previous visits. It was less a tradition and more a show of support for their friends.

Currently, the most quiet, still place on campus was Fort Salem, despite being the most packed with bodies. The entirety of the athletics department was gathered there, receiving a few last minute announcements from Anacostia and Alder before the game that evening. Afterwards, there would be no time as the players dispersed either to celebrate their victory, or lament their loss, before going home for break.

Once the meeting had concluded, the girls were released back to their dorms to change for the brunch. The lacrosse team had received very clear instructions on how to behave themselves for the rest of the day, and had a very strict schedule to follow to be ready for the game on time.

The teams filtered out of Fort Salem, heading towards the dorm to change out of their practice clothes, get washed up and ready for the party, and calm their nerves. They chattered amongst themselves, the upperclassmen giving the Freshmen words of advice. Some walked in silence, drawing the calm into themselves before the storm.

For the most part, the nerves were just excitement. They had worked incredibly long for four long months, and all of it was about to pay off. The adrenaline was pumping; the girls tingled from head to toe. They weren’t scared and even the morning’s practice hadn’t tired them in the least.

They were fresh, alert, strong- ready.

They had survived the Storm.

It was time for Fury.

~.~

The dining hall was bright and warm by the time the Bellweather Unit rolled in with the rest of their team. The players dispersed, meeting up with their family and guests who had already arrived. Tally and Glory, knowing their mothers would not have been able to attend, staked out one of the circular tables for the group. 

Abigail looked around the room uncertainly. Raelle knew she was trying to see if her mother had shown, but so far it didn’t look good. Abigail’s posture stiffened, and Raelle knew she was trying to keep a cool appearance. Raelle didn’t say anything, but slipped her hand into Abigail’s, squeezing lightly. Abigail looked down at her and gave a small, grateful smile.

Tally came back with good news for Abigail, however, as she had Adil in tow. It seemed that no words were needed and Adil drew Abigail into a soft hug. Raelle looked away, giving them a little privacy, and saw Khalida and Glory holding their table. She waved at the young girl, who responded with one of her strangely mature, appraising looks.

Raelle let out a completely undignified squeak as she was suddenly, unceremoniously lifted off the floor in a hug from behind. Someone with a lean chest and lanky arms spun her in a circle before placing her back on the ground. She spun around, ready to throw hands, when-

“Sunshine!”

Byron stood there, arms thrown wide and a big smile on his dumb boy-face.

“Goddammit!” Raelle yelled, brushing herself off. Abigail and Tally had dissolved into laughter. “Fuck you, dude, what the hell. Were you raised by wolves or something? Fucking savage.”

Raelle continued swearing as Byron started laughing and pulled her into a more civilized hug. Once he set her down, he greeted the rest of the group as they made their way back to the table.

After they had settled, Byron leaned into Raelle and asked, “So who’s this guy?” and pointed at Adil. He was being fake-subtle, and Raelle followed his lead.

“Adil. He’s Abigail’s boyfriend, maybe. I don’t know. I’m not super invested.”

Byron nodded sagely. “Mm, yes, I see. And how do we feel about him?” he asked conspiratorially. Abigail was glaring daggers at them while Adil looked vaguely amused.

“Oh, he’s chilled her out considerably. He’s good,” Raelle replied.

“Oh dope! Okay, so we stan, got it.” Byron nodded again and straightened in his seat. He extended his hand to Adil saying, “Byron, official best friend of Raelle, nice to meet you, sir.”

Raelle rolled her eyes as Adil responded in kind. Abigail was still glaring at her but she just smiled back smugly. Tally, trying not to pick a side, was hiding her laughs.

After a moment of idle chatter, the group paused and looked up as Anacostia’s shadow fell across their table. Glory tried to shrink down in her chair as the imposing figure came to stand directly behind her, eyes on Raelle. Tally’s hand seemed to be the only thing keeping her in her seat.

Raelle met Anacostia’s gaze steadily, waiting for whatever she was going to say. After a short stare-down, Anacostia flicked her eyes over toward the dining hall entrance, before looking over the rest of the table and departing.

Raelle followed where her gaze had been, and froze for a moment.

She shot out of her chair, racing for the door before any of her companions could get a word out.

Waiting near the doorway, looking over the crowd, was Edwin Collar.

~.~

Scylla hurried down the decorated pathway, making her way to the dining hall. The student volunteers had done a good job of clearing the snow away, but she still wanted to tread carefully.

Which was super annoying given she was already late.

 _Good job. She finally asks you on a date again and you’re_ late. _Hope you didn’t want a second one._

 _Shush, I’m trying to focus. I’ll be_ really _late if I have to be taken to Health Services first._

So focused was she on not eating pavement, that she nearly ran right into a man standing in the cross-way near the dining hall. 

Scylla managed to hit the brakes just in time, but still bumped him a little.

“Shit, I’m sorry!” she said. “Are you alright, sir? My fault, I wasn’t paying attention.”

The man brushed himself off and said, “No that’s alright, I’m fine. I’m sturdier than I look. Are you alright, Miss?”

He had a warm, Southern drawl that Scylla found she liked immediately. He was maybe fifty or so, with a balding head and a somber-looking face. His light blue suit didn’t seem tailored to fit, and his dress shoes had scuffs on them.

“I’m alright. Sorry again, though.” Scylla paused, then asked, “Do you need help with something? You seem lost.”

“That would be because I am lost, ma’am,” he chuckled. “I’m trying to find the dining hall? I’m supposed to be going to this brunch thing.”

Scylla brightened. “Oh, sure! I’m going there too, it’s this way,” she said, pointing.

“Oh, wonderful. Allow me to escort you then,” the man said offering his am.

Scylla took it as she giggled, charmed by him.

“I’m Scylla, by the way,” she said as they started walking.

“Edwin Collar, it’s nice to meet you.”

Scylla thought she played her flinch off pretty casually, really.

_The drawl, the sense of humor, the eyes, the charm…_

_Huh._

_Guess she gets it from her dad then._

~.~

Scylla and Edwin had only been standing in the dining hall for a few moments, blinking in the bright light and letting the snow drift off, when a small human-shaped creature slammed into the older man.

“Pop!” a voice cried, muffled by Edwin’s suit jacket.

Edwin recovered quickly, wrapping his arms around his daughter and lifting her into a hug. He laughed as he set her down, quickly pulling her into a second hug so he could kiss her cheek.

“Hey, kid. Long time no see,” he said jovially.

“Pop, what are you doing here?” Raelle exclaimed, still in disbelief.

“Well, you’re not coming down for the break, so I thought I’d come catch your big game.”

“But, but… what?”

Edwin laughed, “Why don’t we sit down first, I think your friends are waiting.”

All three of them looked back toward the table that Raelle had just sprinted from. The other occupants were looking at them and each other, covering a wide spectrum of confused to amused.

“Yeah,” Raelle said, “come sit and meet everyone. While I… sort out my brain, I dunno.”

Before they left, Edwin turned to Scylla and said, “Oh, thank you again for helping me find my way. It was nice to meet you.”

_Uhhh…_

“Uhhh…”

“Scylla!”

Raelle’s shout saved Scylla from having to answer for herself. Raelle stepped around her dad and pulled Scylla into a tight hug. Scylla returned it, hiding her face in Raelle’s shirt. Anxiety suddenly filled her, after unexpectedly meeting Raelle’s father _and_ after seeing all those people at the table.

_Pull it together, Ramshorn. These people are her life, and if you want to be part of it you need to find a place at that table. Don’t be chicken shit._

Raelle pulled away and turned to her dad, keeping one arm on Scylla’s back.

“Pop, this is Scylla. She’s, um…” Raelle trailed off, glancing back.

Scylla’s heart twisted nervously, waiting for Raelle to finish. After only a split second’s hesitation, the verdict came in:

“She’s my girlfriend.”

Scylla’s heart soared and a smile broke out across her face. She felt light enough to float away if Raelle’s arm hadn’t been anchoring to the ground. Raelle seemed happy too, smiling softly back at her.

“‘Girlfriend’, hm?” Edwin looked thoughtful as Raelle nodded. He asked Scylla, “And are you taking care of my daughter?”

Scylla replied instantly, “No, sir, because she doesn’t need to be taken care of. I do support her though. We’re partners; I’m here for her.”

“Well, now. I like that answer.” He nodded and clapped Scylla roughly on the shoulder. “Good to hear. Now let’s go sit.”

Scylla exhaled heavily as she and Raelle followed Edwin to the table. She felt like a weight had been lifted, and like maybe the rest of this brunch would be a little easier.

_Welp, her dad likes me. That’s a start._

_You still gotta impress the Unit mates though._

_Hey, Anacostia likes me. This can’t be harder._

_Yeah well you landed in a jail cell for that. Let’s hope this goes better._

At the table, Tally quickly scooted over to make room for Edwin next to his daughter, while Adil grabbed some extra chairs. The drama Byron raised when told he would be moving over so Scylla could sit on Raelle’s other side would’ve made a Broadway producer proud.

“Absolutely disgusting,” he grumbled as he shifted his chair over. “To be shafted over a _girl_ . Absurd. _I_ am the best friend.”

“You must be Byron,” Scylla said as she sat in her chair. “Raelle warned me her odd friend would also be here.”

Byron paused, peering at Scylla.

“What? What did she call me?”

“Um, odd?”

“No, she called me her friend? She said that? With words?”

Next to her, Scylla heard Raelle mutter, “Ah, fuck.”

Scylla hesitated before saying, “Yes.”

Byron grinned and straightened in his seat, puffing out his chest.

“I knew it! Ha! You _do_ like me, I was right.” He smiled smugly at a disgusted Raelle.

“Ugh, no, absolutely not, I do not associate with males.”

“Nope, too late, this nice girl already sold you out. Thanks, by the way,” Byron added, patting Scylla’s hand. “I will never let her live this down. I like you.”

_...Okay so Raelle wasn’t exaggerating. He’s odd._

_You’re one to talk. Weird obsession with death?_

_It’s not_ weird _-_

_Necromancer._

_Shut up._

“So anyway,” Tally interjected, before Raelle and Byron could get into it. “Hello! I’m Tally, it’s nice to meet you, Mr. Collar, sir.”

Tally stuck her hand out, which Edwin accepted.

“Abigail, sir, nice to meet you also.”

The rest of the table took their turns introducing themselves as Raelle slid into her seat between her father and her girlfriend.

_Girlfriend._

The word tumbled over and over in Scylla’s mind, making her giddy. She never thought Raelle would even give her a second chance, let alone _be_ with her again. Scylla couldn’t even begin to hide her smile; she didn’t even try.

When Raelle’s hand slipped into hers beneath the table, she swore to herself then and there that she would never let this girl go again; never miss another chance to tell her she loved her.

Raelle leaned into whisper, “This is okay, right?”

Scylla shook her head incredulously and whispered back, “It’s perfect. I love you, Raelle.”

Raelle smiled wide, her eyes crinkling at the corners. She pressed her lips to Scylla’s cheek, and Scylla squeezed her eyes shut, humming in contentment.

They were startled apart by a quick flash of light. They looked up to see Tally lowering the old Polaroid camera, a picture already being spit out of it.

“I’ll just post this on a wall somewhere, for everyone to see,” she said, fist-bumping Glory. The table laughed while the lovebirds blushed.

“I’ll help you, Tal,” Abigail said, smirking at Raelle. “We’ll put it nice and high, so she can’t take it down.”

“Thanks, Abs. About five feet off the floor should do.”

Scylla squeezed Raelle’s hand while she glared at their laughing group, trying not to laugh herself.

Raelle grumbled, “Ugh, to hell with the both of you. Feral beasts. Sisters are the worst.”

A hush fell over the table.

Raelle realized her slip a moment too late. Her mouth slammed shut, but the words were already out, hanging over the table.

Glory’s eyebrows were climbing into her hairline; Adil and Khalida were wearing matching knowing smiles. Byron had his elbows on the table, chin propped on his fists, like a little kid enjoying a show. Edwin definitely looked confused, but he watched quietly with interest.

And then Tally and Abigail…

Their fun was just getting started.

Wide, shit-eating grins spread across their faces as they looked at each other and then back at Raelle. Scylla looked piteously at Raelle as the girl’s face took on a look of horror and dread.

“Ahem, I’m sorry- what was that, Rae?”

“Yeah, didn’t quite catch that. Could you repeat?”

“Shut up, you heard nothing!”

“Hmmm, I don’t know… It definitely sounded like _something_ , don’t you think?”

“Yes, yes, absolutely, you’re so right. It was definitely something.”

“I’m pretty sure I said you were the worst.”

“Right, right, that’s true. But I just _feel_ like there was something else.”

“Absolutely, I agree.”

“Are you two almost done?”

“I mean, we don’t have anything better to do.”

“Yeah we got time. We can drag this out however long you force us to.”

Raelle sighed frustratedly, letting her head thunk down onto the table. Scylla pressed a kiss to her shoulder, giggling when Raelle growled at her.

Finally, Raelle dragged her hands over her face and sat up, glaring around the table.

“Fine, fine! Whatever.” She turned to her dad and said, “Pop, these circus monkeys are my sisters and I regret ever meeting them. Sorry that I’ve only introduced you to wild beasts today.”

That got a round of coos and laughter from the group as Raelle grumpily slid down in her seat. Edwin only looked slightly less confused, but Scylla thought he probably understood his daughter pretty well.

Tally got up and came around to hug her sulking sister, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and kissing the side of her face multiple times until Raelle shook her off.

“You’re not fooling anyone, Rae, we know you care now. We’ll never take this act seriously again,” Tally said, returning to her seat.

“Yeah, next thing you know, she’ll be telling us she loves us or something,” Abigail needled.

Raelle just flipped them the bird.

Fortunately for Raelle, food was served at that point, and the speeches began. 

~.~

Over the next hour or so, while the players and their guests enjoyed a nice light meal, multiple people got up on stage to make toasts and give congratulations. It was very reminiscent of string selection.

Towards the end, once Alder had given her own speech, it was Anacostia’s turn to take the stage.

Clearing her throat, she began, “I first would like to thank all the players in this department for their hard work and dedication this semester. I am incredibly proud of the training you all put in, the extra time, the effort- all of it. I know it wasn’t easy- I know _I’m_ not easy-” The crowd laughed. “-but I _am_ grateful. You continue to make this a god-tier program, and I’m proud to be part of it with you.”

She paused as a round of applause went up.

After that, Anacostia went on to hand out a few awards to the athletes. Each team got an MVP and a Most Improved, and as a joke, a few awards for Senioritis were handed out, to chuckles from the audience.

For the lacrosse team, Most Improved went to Glory, to her complete shock. She dug her heels in when Tally urged her to go up to the stage, so Tally and Abigail picked her up between them and deposited her next to Anacostia. Glory accepted her award with her head down, shoulders up around her ears while everyone cheered.

Next, Anacostia put the MVP trophy up on the podium, staring at it for a long moment before addressing the crowd.

“For the first time in our program’s history, the MVP award is going to a Freshman.” Abigail and Libba both could be seen sitting up a little straighter.

The rest of the team braced themselves for carnage.

“However,” Anacostia continued, “I found myself going back and forth on which Freshman to give it to. Therefore, I am going to have a second one made, and they can share the title. Abigail Bellweather and Libba Swythe, do you think you can handle that?”

There was a tense moment as the two girls stood to glare at each other. But then their faces broke into challenging grins and they nodded.

“Wonderful, that didn’t look ominous at all.” Anacostia shook her head as her players sat. Then she said, “Finally, we have my personal favorite award: The Team Player.”

The athletes shifted in their seats excitedly. This was the one award that only went out to a single player in the entire department at the end of each season.

“More than anything,” Anacostia said, “we are a team. More than the workouts, more than the practices, more than the wins and losses- we are one team. And every year I preach that, knowing that someone will hear it and step up. This year in particular, we put more emphasis on teamwork- to interesting results,” she added, looking pointedly at the Bellweather Unit.

She went on, “And this year, even I learned something about teamwork. I learned that even the most incompatible people can be taught to work together, if the right person is there to be a bridge.”

Anacostia brought out a slim, black box, and propped it open. It was lined with deep blue velvet, and resting inside was a silver medal, inscribed with words and a name. Even though the inscription was too small to be read by the crowd, the initials T.C. embroidered on the corner of the box were much clearer.

“Tally Craven,” Anacostia said, as the girl in question dropped her jaw in shock. “I have _personally_ been inspired by the things you have accomplished this season. Without a doubt, you were given the most stubborn, hard-headed, _hot_ -headed, infuriating Unit mates anyone could have had the misfortune of being stuck with-” She paused while Abigail and Raelle nodded their agreement- “and yet, I see before me a Unit that is strong, cohesive, and two-thirds on the tall side.”

The explosion of laughter drowned out Raelle’s protests and swearing.

Once the noise died down, Anacostia said, “This achievement is yours, Tally, and it’s not small. Your patience, and kindness, and understanding, have benefited myself, your Unit, and even more people in this room, in ways that go far beyond a game.”

The applause that filled the room was deafening as Tally went to accept her award. Her friends were on their feet as she mounted the stage, wiping a few tears from her eyes. She accepted the box from Anacostia, but instead of shaking her hand, she hugged her coach. For the second time. Anacostia rolled her eyes in annoyance, but this time she gave Tally a couple pats on the back.

She would be a _tiny_ bit sappy, just this once.

~.~

After that, Anacostia wrapped up the brunch. One by one, the Freshman Units were called up to receive their Letterman jackets- the final rite of passage at Salem U Athletics. They were soft and plush, and many Freshman put theirs on right away, including Abigail and Libba.

Raelle carried hers back to her seat, running her fingers over the COLLAR in large gold letters on the back. Scylla watched her, pride swelling in her heart. Raelle had come so far in one semester alone, and Scylla was happy to have been there for (most of) it.

As Raelle sat back down next to her, Scylla saw her fiddling with one of the pockets, but couldn’t quite make out what she was doing before she put the jacket in her lap.

“Kind of spiffy, right?” Raelle said.

“Oh definitely,” Scylla replied. “All the girls will be after you now,” she joked.

“Well, there’s only one I want.” Raelle winked at Scylla as her heart did a flip in her chest.

She bit her lip and leaned in toward Raelle’s face, but was stopped with a hand on her cheek.

Raelle said quietly, “Um, not that I don’t super want to kiss you right now but…” She winced. “The first time I kiss you again is _not_ going to be in front of like a hundred people staring at me.” She raised her voice slightly. “Especially not my nosy-ass… sisters,” she finished, rolling her eyes. Tally squealed and wiggled in her chair.

Scylla chuckled and nodded, leaning back.

Students and guests alike began to rise and disperse as the brunch drew to a close. Players had about an hour or so of free time before they were due back in their dorms for a mandatory rest.

Raelle found herself being hauled up from her chair and pulled into a crushing hug by Abigail, who called her a ‘Shitbird’ and laughed before departing with Adil and Khalida. Tally was far more gentle, hugging Raelle’s shoulders and kissing her cheek. Even Glory gave her a hug before setting off with Tally. Byron ruffled her hair and said he’d see her at the game.

“I’ll be in the front row,” he said, “drawing as much attention to you as possible.” He skipped out of range of her fist, saluted mockingly, and left.

“So, Rae,” Edwin said, when it was just the two of them left plus Scylla. “I’m staying in a hotel in Salem, not too far from here. Pretty sure most everyone one else is too, who’s not a student. They’ve got a bus goin’ back ‘n forth. I know you’re busy today, but try to find some time to visit your old man, right? I’m not goin’ back home ‘til Monday mornin’.” He glanced at Scylla. “Bring your girlfriend too; she seems like a good one,” he said with a wink.

Scylla blushed and ducked her head. She didn’t know if Edwin Collar would ever find out about what she had done to his daughter, and she fervently hoped she would never do anything to raise his suspicions. She wanted to prove to him that she was good for Raelle.

“Why don’t you walk with your dad to the bus depot, Raelle?” Scylla suggested. “That way you guys can catch up a little.”

“Are you sure, Scyl? I don’t want to leave you behind.”

Scylla smiled and stepped forward, placing her hand on Raelle’s cheek.

“I’m okay, don’t worry. And I’ll see you at five. I’ll be in the front row too, being prouder than anyone else.”

Raelle chuckled, then blushed when Scylla kissed her cheek.

Just as Scylla turned to leave, Raelle grabbed her arm and said, “Oh wait, here!”

Scylla looked back and saw Raelle holding up her new Varsity jacket. She looked at Raelle curiously.

“You’re coat’s pretty old, Scyl. Beat up. Take this instead, it’ll be warmer.” Raelle grinned. “Don’t worry, I still know where to find it later. And my hat,” she added, looking at the beanie pulled down over Scylla’s ears.

Scylla took the jacket with a smile, running her fingers over the soft leather and the gold letters on the back.

“So you’re a real jock now, huh? Want your girlfriend to wear your Letterman and everything?”

Raelle made a sour face. “Ew, no. Never call me that. Disgusting.” She led her dad out into the cold in mock-indignation, while Scylla chuckled and donned the warm, comfy jacket. She pulled it snug around herself and stepped out into the unforgiving December cold, bracing against the wind and stuffing her hands in her pockets.

She paused outside the door.

Inside one of the pockets- the one she had seen Raelle poking around in- her hand brushed something hard and weirdly-shaped.

Her eyes welled up, biting in the bitter cold; she already could tell what it was.

She pulled back her hand and out of the pocket came a small, odd-looking bird skull charm.

~.~

Raelle shivered, pulling her dad’s old coat tighter around her. She had the hood of the sweatshirt she was wearing underneath pulled up over her head, and her hands stuffed in her pocket. She and her dad crunched through the snow, headed toward the bus depot.

“So, Pop,” Raelle began, “How _did_ you get up here? You never said.”

“Well, things have been going pretty well at the shop. Been takin’ in some some more business and more money. Things keep goin’ like this, I might even open a second one somewhere.”

“That’s great! Happy for you, old man,” Raelle teased.

“Well, I used some of that extra cash to come visit. Wanted to see you for your big game, and had a couple things to deliver in person.” He pulled two small parcels out of his coat pocket. One was an envelope, the other was a small box. “Here,” he said, handing over the envelope. “It’s from your mama. I’ve had it a while; she wrote it when she knew she was… When she knew…”

Raelle rubbed her dad’s arm as he trailed off, not able to get the words out. He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes, clearing his throat.

“Sorry, kid,” he continued, “we’re just not good at the emotional stuff, are we?”

Raelle scoffed, “You’re telling me.”

“Well, she wanted you to have it once you went to college. Once you’d had a little time in the real world. She said you’d read it when you were ready.”

Raelle took the letter, running her fingertip over the neat, curly handwriting on the front.

_Raelle x_

She tucked it safely in her pocket, swiping at her eyes. She wasn’t ready to read that yet.

Edwin nodded and handed over the second package. The small box was black laminated cardboard, and it didn’t weigh much. Looking curiously at her dad, Raelle lifted the lid.

The little cell phone wasn’t the newest model, it wasn’t even a smartphone, but it would call and text and really that’s all Raelle cared about.

She stared at her dad, disbelief on her face.

“What?”

“For you, Rae. I got one now too,” Edwin said, patting his pocket. He shifted awkwardly on his feet. “You know I feel bad I couldn’t buy you a lot of stuff over the years. And you never complained because you’ve always been a simple kid with simple wants.”

“Pop, I- I can get my own. I can get a job, you know? Especially since lacrosse is done now-”

“Rae, stop. You work hard, kid, and you’ve made me so proud. And you made your mama proud too. You’re always trying to make things easier for other people, even shutting yourself away. Even back home you were always out helping people in the neighborhood. You're a natural fixer, Rae. But I want to do this for you.” Edwin stopped, putting a hand under Raelle’s chin so she’d meet his eyes.

“Let people do things for you sometimes, it’s okay. And it seems like you got real good people here, who _want_ to support you and help you. Let ‘em. Or you’re grounded,” he finished with a wink.

Raelle laughed and threw herself at her dad, wrapping him in a tight hug.

“I love you, Pop.”

“I love you too, Rae.”

As they resumed walking and talking about lighter things, Raelle started filling her phone with numbers.

She had quite a few.

~.~

The next few hours both dragged and whipped by. All the lacrosse players were in their rooms by two for a mandatory hour of rest. Then they gathered all of their game day things and headed down to the stadium for a final equipment check. After that, there was an extended warm-up to get the blood pumping but not to tire them out.

For the final hour before the game, the team went through their playbooks, did a few more stretches, and did some very light cardio, mostly to get the nerves out. All the while, the noise from the stadium began to swell as more and more spectators arrived and took the seats.

Finally, it was time to take the field.

The wall of sound nearly took the girls off their feet as they exploded out of the tunnel and onto the grass. The stadium lights were blazing; the air was fresh and clear.

They trotted over to their bench, ignoring the opposing team for now. They set out their bags and equipment and water bottles before gathering around Anacostia for one last pep-talk.

It was short and sweet, no fluff. She was proud of them no matter what, and wanted their one hundred and ten percent best. Then she released them and for a few moments before the storm broke, the girls were able to gather their thoughts one last time.

~.~

Raelle scoured the stands, looking for one person. Byron was easier to spot, however, dressed head to toe in hot pink and carrying a sign with her name on it. He was right in the front row behind the wall, as he had threatened. She rolled her eyes at him and waved at her dad who was on Byron’s left.

On his right, tucked between him and Adil, was Scylla.

She still wore Raelle’s varsity jacket, and the bird skull charm was pinned to it, making Raelle smile. She reached into her sock, pulling out a small silver coin. She flipped it into the air and caught it so Scylla could see, before kissing it and returning it to her shoe.

Scylla was grinning from ear to ear, mouthing something. Raelle couldn’t hear her above the crowd, but she could make out the words:

_“I love you.”_

Raelle smiled at her, stuck her tongue out at Byron, and turned to face the field.

~.~

Tally pulled Glory aside once Anacostia was done talking. She pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back.

“You okay? You look like you’re gonna be sick,” Tally teased, brushing a lock of hair behind Glory’s ear.

“I might be, don’t rule anything out yet.” She shook her head. “I don’t even know why I’m so nervous- _you’re_ the one playing, not me.”

“Hey, you’re still part of this team. No matter what string you’re on.”

“I know, Tal. Thanks,” Glory said, smiling up at Tally. “Are _you_ nervous at all? You don’t seem like it.”

“I don’t think so. I’m just excited and happy to be here. The ride was rough but we got through it, you know? Not to be overly cheesy- though I’m pretty good at that- even if we lose the game I feel like we won. You and me and our friends.” She took Glory’s hand in hers. “I’m glad you’re with me, Glory. Wouldn’t want to do this with anybody else.”

Glory put her hands on the sides of Tally’s face and stood on her toes, pulling Tally into a searing kiss.

Tally was caught completely off-guard but recovered quickly, placing her hands on Glory’s waist and kissing her back. They stood there for a long moment until Tally became aware of the cheering and whistles from her teammates. Libba was yelling something about winning the pool.

She pulled away from Glory, her face redder than her hair, and laughed as Glory immediately hid her face against Tally’s shoulder.

Glory leaned up and said into her ear, “Good luck, Tally,” before pressing a kiss to her cheek and giving her a nudge toward the sideline.

Tally watched Glory take a place on the bench, warm from head to toe, and turned to face the field.

~.~

Abigail drew up with Bridey, who had joined her for this game, and Libba, and the three of them put their heads together for one last brain-storm before game time.

“Let’s work together, we got this,” Abigail said. Libba nodded agreement and Bridey clapped her on the shoulder. She bumped fists with Libba before the two of them separated to find their Units. 

Before she went too many steps though, Bridey stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. Abigail turned and saw her pointing into the stands. She looked into the crowd, squinting against the bright lights, and scanned the faces until she found Adil and Khalida.

They waved when they saw her, and Adil sent her a gentle smile, sending her heart fluttering in her chest. She waved back and gave them a thumbs-up.

Then she froze.

Because that’s not what Bridey had been pointing at.

Behind Adil, carrying a small blue and gold flag, was Petra Bellweather.

~.~

Raelle nodded to Abigail once she had slid in next to her and Tally. They had both seen who had shown up in the crowd.

They could unpack that later though.

They stood together on the sideline as the clock ticked down the final seconds to game time: Craven, Bellweather, Collar.

They kept their eyes trained on the field, waiting for their cue to head out. The rest of the team gathered as well, bouncing on their feet, eager to storm out. The air positively buzzed with barely contained energy, from them and the crowd.

Raelle spoke, quietly so only her sisters could hear.

“I just wanted to say- win or lose, I’m glad I have you both. I hope I never lose you. And… I love you.”

No one else spoke, no one’s eyes moved from the field, but they didn’t need anything more.

They linked hands with each other, squeezing to show all the emotion and affection that was now beyond words.

And then they took the field.

~.~

The first half was grueling, with neither team being able to take the lead. They pounded up and down the field, defenses clearing the ball and offenses carrying them towards the goals, but always they were stopped or routed.

After thirty minutes both teams returned to their benches, sweating and panting, for the fifteen minute halftime break.

Raelle sat in the grass next to her duffel, gulping down water. Looking around, she saw Tally being tended to by Glory, and Abigail already standing by Libba, putting their heads together with the two captains.

She dug through her duffel for a moment, before pulling out an envelope. Taking a deep breath, she cracked the seal and pulled out a letter.

_My dear one. I’m leaving soon. I left my charm with Dad. Soon, you will need it more than me. May it keep you safe and sound._

_I love you, more than the sky above and the earth below. It pains me greatly, having to leave you. But you need to know: you have power and strength in you, girl. Trust your gifts. Never doubt them, not even for a moment._

_And never forget: I will always be close, watching over you._

Raelle could hear her mother’s voice whispering in her ears as she folded the letter back into the envelope. She could feel her hands brush the hair out of her face, and her lips brush against her cheek.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, leaned back against the bench, and waited to retake the field.

~.~

Fourteen minutes into the second half Libba Swythe scored a goal.

It could’ve been Abigail’s; she had the shot. But she saw that Libba had the better one and had passed the ball off to her, letting her take the goal instead.

The stadium erupted in cheers, and the team swarmed Libba, burying her in a crush of bodies. When they went back to their positions, Abigail and Libba locked eyes.

They smirked at each other, nodding.

And they got ready to go again.

~.~

Twenty-four minutes into the second half, Tally went down.

In her _life_ Raelle had never seen such a deliberately misplaced crosse check. The opposing player _cannoned_ into Tally, sending her to the ground hard.

Before the game was even brought to a halt, Raelle’s crosse was on the ground and she was sprinting to Tally’s side. Abigail met her there.

Tally’s eyes were clenched in pain, her wrist held awkwardly to her chest. Her lips were rimmed in white as she tried to keep in her cries of pain. 

Quickly, Abigail and Raelle removed Tally’s mask and mouth guard, setting them aside with her crosse. Raelle placed her hands on either side of Tally’s neck, keeping her head still. By the time the field medics made it to them, Raelle was already checking Tally’s wrist.

“It’s okay, Tally, you’re okay. We got you,” Raelle whispered to her while the medics worked. Maybe a minute went by before the medics were helping Tally to her feet to leave the field.

“We’ll need x-rays to be sure, but it doesn’t look like the wrist is broken. Might be a mild concussion, though. The docs will find out for sure.”

Raelle barely heard him, being too busy watching Tally go. Abigail stood next to her, handing off Tally’s gear to Anacostia who had come to collect it.

On the sideline, Tally looked back at them, worried.

But Abigail and Raelle smiled at her, before bumping fists with each other. They knew why Tally was nervous to leave them. But they didn’t need a bridge anymore; Tally’s job was done. 

They were all equals now.

~.~

In the end, the only goal scored that day was Libba’s. When the final whistle blew, the stadium erupted once more, streamers and confetti flying into the air, carried by the voices of a thousand cheering people. Raelle found herself unhappily in the middle of a crush of bodies as the entire team stormed the field and crashed together in the center.

Eventually, someone grabbed the shoulder of her jersey and dragged her out. She turned and gave Abigail a grateful smile, before Abigail hooked an arm over her shoulder and pulled her toward the sidelines.

Some of the student body was pouring over the wall already and racing onto the field to join the celebration. The two girls avoided them as they made their way to Tally on the bench. She had refused to leave, and had her wrist in a temporary splint and an ice pack on her head.

She stood as they approached, shaking off a medic, and they grabbed each other up in a massive hug, smiles too big for their faces. Nothing was keeping them apart for long anymore.

Eventually Glory joined them, and then Libba. Bridey came over to drag Abigail into a headlock and ruffle her hair. Then the rest of the team was there and Anacostia very begrudgingly allowed a group hug.

More and more people began to swarm, and for once, Raelle let it happen. 

Adil appeared, having climbed over the wall, to pull Abigail to the side and into a very deep kiss. Glory and Tally were attached at the hip, Glory making sure her overzealous friend didn’t get hurt again. Raelle watched as the two captains added their signatures to the several already on their armbands before handing them over to Anacostia; she saw Libba watching them too.

A space cleared in front of her and Raelle made a dash for the wall, jumping off it to hook her hands over the top. She heaved herself up- Abigail wasn’t the only one putting on muscle- until she could get her arms over.

There she dangled, not noticing the edge of the wall digging into her arms, staring up into her girlfriend’s beautiful face.

As Byron grabbed her arm to help her stay up, Raelle said, “Hey, fancy meeting you here.”

“Yeah, of all the lacrosse fields in all the world, huh?” Scylla replied, tears of happiness streaming down her face. She cupped Raelle’s cheeks in her hands, saying, “I am _so_ proud of you Raelle.”

“Hey, Scylla?” Raelle said, absolutely not wasting anymore time. “I love you. I _love_ you.”

Scylla laughed wetly, more tears sliding down her cheeks. She leaned in, meeting Raelle in the middle for a kiss that sent electricity and fire through Raelle’s entire body. She felt warm from head to toe, and she risked holding herself up by only one arm to reach up and thread a hand into Scylla’s hair, pulling her closer.

She was vaguely aware of new cheers coming from behind her, though she realized she could now easily pick out Tally and Abigail’s voices. Someone came up under her feet to give her more support hanging off the wall.

When she finally pulled back from Scylla, they were both red and laughing.

“So when you said you didn’t want to kiss me with a hundred people watching, what you meant was- you wanted a thousand?” Scylla joked.

“Sure, why not,” Raelle replied. “I’m in. No matter what happens, I’m with you.”

Scylla laughed and leaned down to kiss her again.

~.~

Epilogue

The Storm passed; the Fury subsided.

The team and most of the student body disbanded for the four week break.

They celebrated long and loud on Saturday night, and by Sunday afternoon Salem University was a ghost town. 

Students remaining over the break would have limited access to the campus: namely the library, dining hall, student center, and dorms. Athletics program members would still have Fort Salem, and there would be a limited bus service into Salem town.

The campus continued to thin out well into Monday morning. 

Edwin departed for Logan International after spending a good amount of time with Raelle and her new people. He was declared a member of the group once he was able to produce an embarrassing baby picture of Raelle from his wallet.

Adil and Khalida would be remaining on campus. To everyone’s surprise, Khalida had already attached herself to Scylla, though that may have been due to Scylla having a way into the greenhouses- a place Khalida was very fascinated by. Adil officially asked Abigail to be his girlfriend. The picture of her blushing was held hostage by Raelle until she and Tally could find a good place to put it.

Byron threatened multiple times to steal Adil from Abigail, much to everyone (except Abigail’s) amusement. Adil politely declined, and Byron returned to Salem Too vowing to be back next semester to try again. He’d be on his own campus during break though, and he and Raelle made plans to hang out.

Libba went home with her parents, who had come to watch the game. She and Abigail insulted each other in the parking lot a few times before hugging goodbye, much to the Swythes’ amusing horror. The two attackers had already been making plans for next year…

Abigail told Anacostia that she wouldn’t be returning as an attacker. She would hand over leading the field to Libba, while she started training as the goaltender, to lead the team that way. Anacostia scoffed at first- you don’t just switch positions when you’ve been training one for years- but Abigail just fixed her with her best “I’m a Bellweather, try me” look and that was the end of it.

Petra brought Abigail back to New York, saying they had a lot to discuss. Everyone was pensive at first, until Petra stated that she wanted to hear some of Abigail’s ideas about her future. Bridey went with them, still looking after Abigail as her trainer and occasional life coach.

Tally and Glory flew back to California together. Tally had already told her mother about their new relationship developments on the phone, and sputtered incoherently when May said something about Glory’s mother winning the neighborhood pool.

Scylla caught up to Izadora before she disappeared for the break. She asked her advisor about switching her major to Botany. Scylla had decided that she had more of a passion for it, and she wanted to explore it more. She also started pestering Izadora about an actual paying job tending the greenhouses. Something about planning a date on a beach…

Raelle declared a major in Sports Medicine. Anacostia told her that the moment she returned from break, she’d help her get the classes she’d need in the coming years. Later, alone in her room, Raelle decided that the empty space didn’t seem so ominous anymore. She didn’t feel quite so uneasy about her sisters leaving- she knew in her heart that they’d be back. And the privacy would be nice when she wanted to spend time alone with Scylla…

The Unit would return about a week before break ended. They’d take a trip into Salem, maybe Boston, just the three of them. Raelle and Abigail would bicker until Tally threatened to shove them both in the harbor; Abigail and Tally would dump Raelle into every other snow drift they could find; Raelle would make them carry her home. Then they’d gather in Fort Salem with their collection of girlfriends, boyfriend, and new friends, and laugh and tell stories and watch movies until the moon was high in the sky.

Later, they’d crash into their beds, happy to be back home, ready to face whatever came next. Together.

In the morning, they’d unpack everything: books on the desk, clothes in the closet, lacrosse equipment safely stowed away.

Pictures on the board, with more to come.

And three blue and gold jerseys hanging on the wall.

_crease: the goal_

~.~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to anyone who's still reading this far along. Thank you for all the comments, feedback, suggestions, threats, etc. Special thank you to Denny's: sorry if your parking lot is a mess now. :shrug:
> 
> I'm taking a short break from writing for a bit, but then I'll be back with more MFS, and maybe branch into a few other fandoms! [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) if you want to keep up with whatever mess I come up with next.
> 
> Today's grande finale art is brought to you by TaterTrash! You can find her on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/tatertrash) and [Tumblr](https://overly-caffeinated-bi-potato.tumblr.com/) for more stunning art!
> 
> Hope you liked! Want more? Find me on Tumblr at [lesbitomboyish](https://lesbitomboyish.tumblr.com/). I take requests, prompts, etc, for other ships as well (I'm just very very gay). Or just come to chat, that's cool too.
> 
> [Subscribe to me](https://archiveofourown.org/users/realMurph) or this story so you don't miss updates or new postings!
> 
> be happy, stay excellent <3


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